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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Vancouver emerged victorious over Montréal in a battle between the best of both conferences on Saturday (June 14) at Langley Events Centre. The Bandits stormed back from a 20-point deficit in the first half to earn their third straight victory. A timely 15-0 run in the fourth quarter propelled the Bandits to the comeback, featuring clutch shooting from Curtis Hollis, along with inside finishing from Mitch Creek and Shamar Givance. Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said certain possessions in the third quarter set the tone for the comeback. “We just kept talking about chipping away and we talked a lot about the power of one possession and how it can change a game,” Julius said. Creek paced the Bandits’ attack with a game-high 30 points to go along with seven rebounds. Hollis added 18 points, including the game-winner. “I knew we had to get one more bucket. I knew the guys were helping off me all game, which I really don't know why, but I saw he helped off me, and Shamar made a great pass and I just had to make a shot,” Hollis said. James Karnik and Corey Davis Jr. also made their season debuts for Vancouver, adding nine points each. Julius said incorporating new faces mid-season can be a challenge. “The chemistry of a locker room is fragile. You build your offence around a particular group, you build your defense around a particular group, and when certain pieces change, it can affect your scheme. And so, yeah, you have to tweak things all week,” Julius said. Meanwhile, Montréal guard Tavian Dunn-Martin proved difficult to stop despite second-half struggles as a team. He netted 20 points with four threes on eight-of-13 shooting overall. “We settled for too many threes [in the second half]. We didn't attack the basket … didn't get to the line. Then they got out in transition and made shots, and we didn't,” Dunn-Martin said. Montréal seized control early on, shooting 70 per cent from the field in the first quarter and forcing the Bandits into catch-up mode. Alliance head coach Jermaine Small said his squad was outrebounded in the second half but expects to get better from the loss. “You have to understand that you've got to play a 40-minute game. We got off to a really good start [and] obviously we tapered off a little bit. But it's just a good lesson … basketball is a long game, so I'm not worried about it,” Small said. Montréal began the game on a 14-4 run that culminated in back-to-back threes from Anthony Walker and Quincy Guerrier. Creek showed off his rebounding ability on the offensive glass, keeping the Bandits in the contest with three putbacks. However, the Alliance offence was on fire in the opening 10 minutes. Montréal closed the quarter on a 13-3 run, highlighted by a pair of Michael Diggins Jr. slams and a deep trifecta from Dunn-Martin, to take a 32-15 lead into the second. Guerrier connected on a free throw and a spin layup to extend Montréal’s lead to 20 early in the second before Vancouver went on a quick run fueled by transition finishes to narrow the gap. However, the Alliance stayed hot with another deep triple from Dunn-Martin and a corner three from former Bandit Malcolm Duvivier. The red-hot Montréal offence cooled off to end the half and Vancouver took advantage, closing the deficit to single digits by halftime at 48-41 with a 9-2 run. The third quarter turned into a defensive battle, with neither team scoring more than 15 points. The Bandits fought back to tie the game for the first time since the opening tip, powered by an 11-2 run in which the Alliance didn’t connect on a field goal. However, long-range shooting put Montréal back in front with back-to-back threes from Guerrier and Dunn-Martin. The Alliance carried a 62-56 advantage into the fourth quarter. Dunn-Martin continued to showcase his range with another deep three early in the fourth to bring the Alliance lead back to double-digits. But the Bandits demonstrated their resilience with a massive 15-0 run that put the home squad in front for the first time all game. Alain Louis made some clutch trifectas ahead of the final stretch, but a Creek and-one put Vancouver ahead 80-77 with an 89-point Target Score. After Guerrier kicked off scoring in Target Score Time with a transition slam, Davis Jr. buried a three, Creek got the hoop and the harm, and Givance scored in transition to put Vancouver one point away from victory. Hollis connected on a catch-and-shoot from the wing to complete the comeback and improve the Bandits’ record to 8-1. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600585
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Montreal Alliance on June 14th, 2025.
The Vancouver Bandits have announced today the following roster updates in advance of its Saturday, June 14 game at home against the Montréal Alliance at 7:00 p.m. PT: G Corey Davis Jr. has been added to Club's active roster and will be available for tonight's game. F James Karnik has been removed the the Club's Suspended List and added to Club's active roster and will be available for tonight's game. F Tyrese Samuel has been placed on the Club's Suspended List in order for him to participate in potential NBA team workouts and Summer League opportunities; he will return to the club at the conclusion of his commitments. G Izaiah Brockington has been placed on the Club's Suspended List in order for him to participate in potential NBA team workouts and Summer League opportunities; he will return to the club at the conclusion of his commitments. G Tristan Jass (lower body) is ruled out for today's game.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6’1” American guard Corey Davis Jr. No stranger to the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), Davis Jr. was a member of the Calgary Surge during the 2024 season where he set the league record for most assists in a single season with 126 helpers. Appearing and starting in 19 regular season games and three playoff games, he averaged 13.4 points, 6.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals through 33.1 minutes played. He finished the season with three consecutive, 20+ point performances in the postseason, leading the Surge from the Play-In round to the CEBL Western Conference Final. Davis Jr. most recently played professionally with Vanoli Cremona, the highest-tier level of Italy’s basketball league system, where he appeared in 30 games and averaged 13.6 points, 5.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 29.8 minutes of action per game during the 2024-25 season. His pro career also includes stops in Spain, Montenegro, France, Turkey and a stint with the Washington Wizards during the 2019 NBA Summer League. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be back in the CEBL and can’t wait to get started with the Bandits. I’m looking forward to working with coach Kyle and the team, and building on the success that the Bandits have had so far this season,” said Davis Jr. A member of the University of Houston’s men’s basketball team for two seasons from 2017 to 2019, Davis Jr. was a unanimous First Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2019. Davis Jr. also helped the Cougars advance to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the 2019 Sweet 16. Davis Jr. will be on the active roster for the Vancouver Bandits game Saturday evening at home when the club hosts the visiting Montréal Alliance at Langley Events Centre. In a corresponding move, the club has placed guard Izaiah Brockington on its Suspended List in order to accommodate Davis Jr.'s addition while adhering to CEBL roster rules, which limit clubs to four Import players on active rosters.
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Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Ottawa BlackJacks on June 6th, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on June 1st, 2025.