CANADIAN ELITE BASKETBALL LEAGUE SET TO BECOME FIRST LEAGUE IN CANADA TO RETURN TO PLAY
Fraser Valley Bandits • June 25, 2020
Summer Series tournament to begin July 25; training camps open July 15
The Canadian Elite Basketball League announced Thursday that its seven teams will convene at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario starting July 15 to play the CEBL Summer Series, a round robin competition that will culminate in crowning the second-year league’s 2020 champion. The timing of the Summer Series, subject to the status of the province of Ontario’s phased in reopening, will make the CEBL the first professional league in Canada to return to play following the COVID-19 outbreak in March.
“The CEBL has been at the forefront of the return-to-play efforts by major sports leagues across Canada, and we’re ecstatic at the prospect of being able to return live professional sports to Canadians,” said Mike Morreale, Commissioner and CEO of the CEBL. “After exhausting all contingencies to get our teams back on the court this summer, a single-site competition, closed to fans but with all games available for free to viewers across the country and internationally, will enable us to again showcase the players who help make Canada the second-leading producer of pro basketball talent in the world.
“I would like to thank Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Lisa MacLeod and her staff for championing the efforts of the return of sports,” Morreale added. “The Province of Ontario recognizes that sports play an important role in boosting the economy, restoring the vibrancy of our communities, and inspiring people of all ages to be active and healthy. Along with Minister MacLeod, Mayor Walter Sendzik of St. Catharines has shared the CEBL’s vision for the Summer Series and worked with us to facilitate a four-week event that will adhere to medical protocols designed to keep our players, coaches, staff, local public and tournament officials safe. This is a huge undertaking that could not happen without their support, as well as that of medical officers, and the staff of the Meridian Centre, and our training and accommodations partner.”
The teams from Ottawa, Hamilton, Guelph, Edmonton, Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), and Fraser Valley (Abbotsford) will join the hometown Niagara River Lions on July 15 for the opening of each team’s training camp. While the game schedule will be announced at a later date, the 26-game CEBL Summer Series tips off Saturday, July 25. Each club will play the other once, and the team with the worst record will be eliminated and the remaining six will be seeded into a bracket. The third and sixth seeds, and the fourth and fifth seeds, will face each other for the right to advance to the semifinals against the first and second-seeded teams. The CEBL Championship game is scheduled for Sunday, August 9.
As the premier media partner of the CEBL, CBC Sports will offer live streams of all games to audiences across Canada via the free CBC Gem streaming service, cbcsports.ca and the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices. CBC will also provide broadcast coverage of select games, with details to be revealed in the coming weeks. The CEBL and CBC announced a three-year partnership on November 26, 2019 that includes broadcast and streaming coverage each season.
All seven teams will be accommodated in St. Catharines, playing games at the Meridian Centre, and practicing at a nearby facility. They will be separated from the general public, and strict screening and COVID-19 protocols will be adhered to under the supervision of medical officials. Extensive health and safety measures will be maintained for the participants, including social distancing and other specialized practices designed to limit interactions amongst participants. The 2020 CEBL season has been on delay since mid-April with its originally scheduled tipoff date of May 7. Each club had been scheduled to play a 20-game schedule leading to a final four CEBL Championship Weekend in Edmonton, August 14-16.
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 80% of its current rosters being Canadians. Players come from the NBA G-League, top international leagues, the Canadian National Team program, and top NCAA programs as well as from U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season typically runs from May through August. More information is available at www.cebl.ca
Media Contact:
John Lashway
Executive Vice President, Strategy & Communications
jlashway@cebl.ca
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The Vancouver Bandits announced Sunday that the reigning Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) Most Valuable Player Mitch Creek has re-signed with the club and will suit up on Monday, June 15 against the Scarborough Shooting Stars. The 6-foot-5 forward and fan favourite returns to the Bandits after a stellar 2025 campaign in which he was named Most Valuable Player and an All-CEBL First Team Selection. Creek had one of the most statistically productive stretches of his career during the 2025 CEBL season. Starting in all 20 regular season games, he averaged a team-high 24.4 points per game along with 6.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 34.4 minutes.Creek made his CEBL debut during the 2024 season and currently ranks second on the Bandits’ all-time leading scorers list (643 points). Creek appeared in five NBA regular season games during the 2018-19 season, splitting time between the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves averaging 4.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on 50 per cent shooting from the field across both clubs. A veteran of 15 professional seasons, Creek was a mainstay and all-star in his home country’s National Basketball League (NBL), logging 338 games and served as captain for both the Adelaide 36ers and South East Melbourne Phoenix. Most recently, Creek competed for Romanian club U-BT Cluj-Napoca during the 2025-26 season where he captained the team to a Romanian League championship and received All-EuroCup Second Team honours. A native of Horsham, Australia, Creek is a major basketball figure in his home country and has been instrumental to the success of the national team, known as the Boomers, and was recently named to Australia’s roster for the upcoming 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers taking place in July. Creek will step away from the Bandits’ roster later this month to join the Australian national team in advance of its FIBA World Cup Qualifier games on July 3 and 6 against Guam and the Philippines, respectively. He will rejoin the Bandits at the conclusion of his international duties. 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 led nearly from start to finish, avenging an earlier loss with a 104-95 victory over the Ottawa BlackJacks. The teams met on Saturday night on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre, with the Bandits improving to 7-2 atop the Canadian Elite Basketball League's Western Conference. The BlackJacks fell to 4-5, dropping into a tie for third place in the Eastern Conference. “The way they beat us was pretty evident and obvious,” said Vancouver Bandits coach Kyle Julius of the earlier meeting on June 2. “So, I thought we did a great job – for the most part – correcting what hurt us, so that was nice to see.” “I think there was probably a little more urgency defensively,” he explained. The Bandits led for all but 29 seconds of the game, thanks in large part to a 30-point opening quarter. From there, however, the offence struggled to maintain the same rhythm. “Fatigue. We just didn’t have our rotation,” Julius said. “We were shorthanded, and I wasn’t really surprised with the ebb and flow and the dips we had. “Even D’Andre Davis – who is going to be a very good player for us – but if you look at his ankle, it’s still swollen, so he’s out there hobbling around.” The offence was powered by Jarkel Joiner, who had 37 points – a franchise record – seven assists and four rebounds. “The coaches had a great game plan, and we executed it,” Joiner said. “We locked in, we didn’t take the game for granted.” Joiner had a larger role in the game, especially with point guard and leading scorer Jaelen House sidelined. “Honestly, it’s hard without him. He makes the game so much easier with his quickness, how fast he is, how explosive he is, how he sees the game,” Joiner admitted. “But coach needed me to step up tonight, and (Duane Notice) helped with the point guard role, and everybody stepped up.” Miller Kopp added 15 points and eight rebounds, Mychal Mulder finished with 13 and Tyrese Samuel chipped in 10 points and eight boards. Dominic Parolin came off the bench to finish with a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds, giving Vancouver five scorers in double figures. Ottawa was led by Javonte Smart’s 29 points with Matthew Cleveland and Justin Harmon both adding 19. "They play hard. They have respect for the game and force you into a lot of contested shots, so for us, we have to continue to fight for great shots," said BlackJacks coach Justin Mazzulla. “We have to continue to play together and have our energy not be impacted by whether the ball goes in or not.”  Up next, the Bandits return to Envision Financial Court on June 15 to host the Eastern Conference-leading Scarborough Shooting Stars (7-1). Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
The Vancouver Bandits professional basketball team have announced that internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, and music producer Sukshinder Shinda will perform at the club’s third annual South Asian Heritage Game, presented by Westland Insurance, Envision Financial and SDC by Tut on Saturday, June 20 when the Bandits host the visiting Brampton Honey Badgers at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Exclusive to Bandits ticket holders, fans attending the game can look forward to two performances on June 20; including a pre-game concert in the arena bowl and a half-time show during the intermission between the second and third quarters of gameplay. Tickets for Shinda’s performances, which are included with the purchase of a game ticket, start as low as $30 each; all ticket prices are inclusive of taxes and fees are on sale now at this link . Fans in attendance are strongly encouraged to arrive prior to 6:00 p.m. PT to ensure that they have time to find parking (free on-site) and locate their seats before Shinda’s performance, which will be shortly after the top of the hour before the Bandits and Honey Badgers tip-off at 6:00 p.m. The festivities celebrating basketball, community and culture begin with the free Bandits Backyard BBQ presented by Otter Co-op starting at 4:00 p.m. Taking place outside Gate 4 adjacent to Willoughby Community Park, the Backyard BBQ will feature an array of outdoor food vendors, live music, and family-friendly activities for fans of all ages to enjoy. Widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in the Punjabi music industry, Shinda has built an extraordinary legacy both as a powerful vocalist and as a pioneering music producer. His distinctive voice, innovative productions, and ability to blend traditional sounds with contemporary influences have helped shape the modern Punjabi music landscape and inspired artists around the world. Over the years, Shinda has delivered numerous hit songs and produced music for some of the biggest names in Punjabi entertainment. His groundbreaking work behind the scenes, combined with his success as a recording artist and live performer, has earned him international acclaim and a devoted fan following spanning generations. Join us for a night of unforgettable music and exciting pro basketball action as Sukshinder Shinda brings his legendary sound, celebrated catalogue, and unparalleled stage presence to the 2026 Vancouver Bandits South Asian Celebration Game Halftime Show on Saturday, June 20. Ticket to the game required; the halftime show is included as part of your Vancouver Bandits game experience.
A change of scenery didn’t stop the Vancouver Bandits’ wrecking crew in Kelowna on Saturday night. The Bandits cruised to a dominant 105-85 win over the Saskatoon Mamba as part of the first ever Kelowna HOOPFEST. Jarkel Joiner (23 points) and Tyrese Samuel (22 points) led the team while Miller Kopp followed with 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists. With this win, the Bandits boast a 6-2 record and are winners of five of their last six games. Kelowna native Grant Sheppard also chipped in with a CEBL career-high 10 points and three rebounds on perfect five-for-five efficiency from the floor. Shephard credited his hometown fans for a jolt of support. “I just had that extra energy and passion tonight. I want to play my best but tonight it was just for Kelowna,” said Shephard. “This whole stadium reminds me of Langley Events Centre. The atmosphere and the fans were great.” Bandits head coach Kyle Julius also applauded the atmosphere at Prospera Place as “tremendous” and said his team felt the support from the fans for all four quarters. “I knew it was going to be good, but this was better than I could’ve expected,” he said. Julius praised Shephard’s play and his ability to enter action without seeing heavy minutes. “He doesn’t complain. He comes in everyday with a smile and he’s locked and loaded and ready to go,” said Julius. The Bandits controlled the game from the opening tip, jumping out to a 23-3 lead in the first quarter. The lead would only build, extending to as many as 21 points in the opening half and eventually 29 points as the game went on. Samuel scored 13 of his 22 points by halftime. Eight Bandits were on the scoresheet, including seven points and nine rebounds from standout rookie Dominic Parolin. Everything went right for Bandits tonight as they shot 12-27 from three point land and forced the Mamba into a hole that was too deep to climb out of. “To play the way we did feels great,” said Julius. The Bandits are back in action at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre on June 13 to battle the Ottawa BlackJacks in the second game of a three game home stand.
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