BlackJacks Ink First Win in Team History with Nailbiting Defeat of the Bandits
July 31, 2020
ST. CATHARINES, ON, July 30, 2020 – It wasn’t the start that the Fraser Valley Bandits wanted. After winning their first two contests, the Bandits entered Thursday night’s action riding the confidence of a two-game winning streak to open the CEBL Summer Series. The Ottawa BlackJacks came in eager to prove the doubters wrong after dropping their first two games of the series. In the end, the gritty Bandits overcame a 14-0 deficit to start the game and clawed back only to fall just short, 78-76, in a thrilling Elam Ending finish.
Johnny Berhanemeskel was an early source of offence for the BlackJacks, scoring nine of those first 14 points, including a trio of three-pointers. The Bandits looked sluggish as they searched for their stroke throughout the first half. At halftime the Bandits trailed by a score of 46-36. It was the best first-half from the BlackJacks so far this Summer Series. At the break, the BlackJacks controlled the box score in nearly every statistical category, including points in the paint where they owned a +10 advantage.
“I think we just played better (tonight),” said BlackJacks head coach Osvaldo Jeanty. “Our guys did what they’re supposed to in terms of defending. We won the rebounding battle today and we got easy shots. We just stuck to what we do and offensively it came easily.”
The Bandits made it interesting down the stretch but failed to convert on key opportunities in the paint and at the free throw line in the game’s closing moments. The win is the first in Jeanty’s career as a professional coach.
“It feels good – I just think we need to keep on building on what we did today,” Jeanty said. “I think we’re trying as much as possible to still find our identity and make the adjustments. We have to keep on trying to win games rather than playing not to lose.”
The Bandits made their push in the second-half, outscoring Ottawa 40-32 in the final two quarters of play. Despite Fraser Valley’s resurgent offence in the second half, the BlackJacks were able to withstand the Bandits’ comeback attempt thanks to the steady contributions of their core four of Berhanemeskel, Thomas Scrubb, Olivier Hanlan and Kyle Landry.
Together, they combined for 58 of Ottawa’s 78 points. A key juncture of the contest arrived during the climactic Elam Ending, which featured an electric finish that ultimately saw Ottawa outlast the Bandits thanks to a clutch and-one bucket from Hanlan, who recognized a mismatch opportunity in the game’s late moments. Hanlan drove to the rim and was fouled by the help-side defender. Hanlan’s free throw made the game 77-75 for Ottawa.
Moments later, a foul by Junior Cadougan while vying for a loose ball sent Berhanemeskel to the line where he converted a free throw to ice the game at 78-76.
Despite the loss, Bandits head coach and general manager remained positive heading into the team’s next game Saturday against Hamilton.
“I love that locker room,” Julius said. “I know them as human beings first, and I love those guys. I’ve been to battle with those guys in many different situations, so I just love our group as people. We play together, we play unselfish and hard. I think we’ve defended at a decent level as far as our overall intensity, and I’d say our games have been pretty low scoring for our opponents for the most part. Our defence is for sure ahead of our offence as far as executing.”
Ottawa improves to 1-2 with the win and will next play Hamilton (1-2) on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET. Fraser Valley falls to 2-1 and will take on the Honey Badgers on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. PT). Saturday’s game will be a national broadcast that is available to watch on local CBC channels across the country.
All CEBL Summer Series games are available to watch on Twitch, CBCSports.ca and the CBC Gem App. A complete broadcast schedule can be found here.
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The Canadian Elite Basketball League has confirmed that the start time for the Vancouver Bandits’ away game on Thursday, May 14 against Saskatoon Mamba at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Sask, has been changed from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. PT. This game will be Vancouver’s first game of the 2026 CEBL regular season. The game, along with all Bandits games during the 2026 season, will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, and the CEBL Mobile app. Fans can also tune in on the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-9 forward Dominic Parolin to its roster for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. Hailing from Coquitlam, B.C., this marks Parolin’s first professional basketball contract after recently completing a six-year NCAA DI career with stints at Boise State University and Lehigh University. “I can’t wait to start off my professional career with the Bandits. This organization has a history of success and I am excited to be a part of it,” said Parolin. “Having grown up around Vancouver, this is also a great opportunity to reconnect with the local basketball community.” After redshirting during the 2024-25 season, Parolin appeared in 32 games for the Boise State Broncos in 2025-26 where he suited up in 32 games with averages of 5.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.5 blocks in 17.0 minutes per game. Prior to Boise State, Parolin played four seasons with the Lehigh Mountain Hawks where he was named Third Team All-Patriot League in 2024. “We are all excited about working with Dominic. He has had a tremendous college career and has a very high ceiling as a professional player,” said Bandits head coach and general manager, Kyle Julius. “Dominic plays with big time toughness, has great size and a versatile game as a power forward. Being a B.C. kid, we are thrilled that he is back home playing for us in front of friends and family.” An alumnus of Centennial Secondary in Coquitlam, B.C., Parolin captained the Centaurs’ senior boys team to a fifth-place finish at the 2020 BC 4A Boys Basketball Provincial Championship, while also earning First Team All-Star honours at the tournament. The Bandits open the 2026 CEBL season on Thursday, May 14 on the road in Saskatoon before coming home for its Home Opener against the Edmonton Stingers on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. A full game schedule can be viewed here . Bandits Single Game Tickets and additional 2026 ticket options can be purchased here . All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, the CEBL Mobile app, the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Marquee games will air nationally on CBC TV. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed NBA-experienced guard Mychal Mulder for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 6-foot-3 guard from Windsor, Ont., Mulder appeared in 84 NBA games between 2019 to 2022 for the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat. His breakout season in 2020-21 saw him appear in 60 games for the Warriors, where he averaged 5.6 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.4 assists in 12.8 minutes, including six starts alongside the likes of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins. “I am excited to be in Vancouver to play with the Bandits and work with coach Kyle Julius this summer. Playing in a Canadian league is a first for me, and it is an opportunity that I take pride in,” said Mulder. “We are going to have a really good group and a very competitive season; Bandits fans, get ready.” Mulder most recently played for the Washington Wizards’ NBA G League affiliate, Capital City Go-Go, during the 2023-24 season where he appeared in 27 games and averaged 5.2 points, 1.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists in 17.3 minutes per game. A product of the University of Kentucky, Mulder played two seasons of NCAA DI basketball from 2015 to 2017. He averaged 4.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.4 assists in 10.6 minutes through 32 contests for a Wildcats squad that advanced to the Elite Eight at the 2017 NCAA March Madness tournament. “Mychal is an elite Canadian player who has built a career as accomplished as any player to play in our league. He will provide big time experience and leadership to our group,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “He has played with the best players in the world and it is going to be awesome to have him enhance our culture and push our group towards a championship.” Internationally, Mulder has represented Canada at the senior level on two occasions at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers and the 2021 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Mulder joins reigning CEBL Canadian Player of the Year Tyrese Samuel as players who have signed with the Bandits for the upcoming 2026 season. The Bandits open the 2026 CEBL season on Thursday, May 14 on the road in Saskatoon before coming home for its Home Opener against the Edmonton Stingers on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Bandits Single Game Tickets and additional 2026 ticket options can be purchased here . All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, the CEBL Mobile app, the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Marquee games will air nationally on CBC TV. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.
The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) is proud to announce CEBL Signing Day , coming April 8. Replacing the CEBL Draft , Signing Day will roll out across league-wide social platforms, spotlighting the next wave of elite Canadian talent as student-athletes from U SPORTS and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) officially sign for the 2026 season. Two athletes per team will be announced, with the possibility of more signings as the season approaches. Since 2019, the CEBL’s partnership with U SPORTS and more recently also the CCAA has built a pro-level stage where the best intercollegiate talent from coast to coast can shine. CEBL teams are incentivized to carry development players on their active rosters, with up to three developmental players eligible per game outside the Club’s salary cap. The results speak for themselves: 116 student-athletes from 44 schools across Canada have been selected by CEBL clubs through the draft process, a testament to the exceptional depth and calibre of Canadian collegiate basketball. The world will be watching. Through the CEBL's landmark five-year broadcast partnership with CBC Sports, these talented student-athletes will get national, and global, spotlight. Marquee games will air on CBC TV, including the first-ever best-of-three CEBL Finals in league history, with every CEBL game live streamed on CBC Gem and CBC Sports YouTube and CEBL+ . Canadian basketball has never been more visible and it's only getting bigger. For the full 2026 CEBL schedule, visit cebl.ca/schedule . Details on the league’s new playoff format are available at cebl.ca/playoffs , and ticket information for all CEBL games can be found at cebl.ca/tickets .
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