Championship Weekend a family affair for Bandits brothers Duane Notice, Marcus Carr

Suzette Carr may soon need to commission some new artwork.

Her sons, Duane Notice and Marcus Carr, are set to suit up for the Vancouver Bandits in the CEBL Finals against the Niagara River Lions on Sunday at Montreal’s Verdun Auditorium.

And Notice can already envision what he might see upon re-entering his mom’s home if they win it all.

“I'm pretty sure she would frame the picture of us on the trophy together celebrating, so like I already visualize that just being in the kitchen or the living room blown up to the biggest proportions, like a movie poster type of vibe,” Notice said.

Notice, 29, is a veteran of 48 CEBL games dating back to the inaugural Hamilton Honey Badgers in 2019. When the Bandits signed Carr in July, it marked the 25-year-old’s first CEBL contract.

It also marked the first time the brothers, who are Toronto natives, have ever played together professionally.

“For me, I've never won a championship as a professional yet, so it's just like a lot of emotions going into it [Championship Weekend],” Notice said. “So I think it'll be cool for sure. Like something that we can both talk about at family functions and for the future and look back on it and be like, ‘Oh, we did that. That was a great experience.’”

Notice and Carr hadn’t played much, if any, organized basketball together before teaming up on the Bandits, let alone in professional settings.

And whenever they played one-on-one growing up, big brother would always come out on top, Carr said.

Now, though, they’re chasing a championship together.

“We don’t get the opportunity to be around each other that much,” Carr said. “So to just get the opportunity to train with each other and get better has been super cool. And then obviously knowing [head coach] Kyle [Julius] going back years, it’s really just family.”

If you scroll way back on Julius’ Instagram feed — exactly 10 years to the day of the CEBL Finals — you’ll find a picture including Julius, Notice, Carr and Calgary Surge head coach Tyrell Vernon from a workout at McMaster.

“I remember all those times, working out at Hamilton, at McMaster with Kyle and with my brother. So yeah it just brought back a whole bunch of memories, stuff you forget about,” Carr said.

Julius said it is full circle coaching the brothers in the CEBL now.

“That warms my heart, honestly. I spent a lot of time with them when they were young. They’re great kids, come from great family,” Julius said.

Notice’s basketball career has been a winding one. He is the all-time leader in games played at the University of South Carolina, where he made the 2017 Final Four. His pro career included stops with the G League’s Raptors 905 as well as in Poland before landing in the CEBL.

But during the 2020 bubble season, Notice suffered a torn Achilles that cost him the entirety of the following campaign.

“I'm just fortunate, man,” Notice said. “Having two doctors telling me that I wouldn't be able to play basketball ever again and now to be in the position to be competing in Championship Weekend. … I know I put in enough work so everything will take care of itself.

Notice returned to the Honey Badgers in 2022 before moving to Julius’ Bandits the following season.

“Duane does not get the credit he deserves. He’s a workhorse for us whether it’d be playing out of position, guarding bigger players, I got nothing but tremendous love and respect for Duane and he’s been a huge piece to our success,” Julius said.

Carr played prep school in Florida on the same team as RJ Barrett before joining NCAA Division 1 squads in Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Texas.

After his final college season in 2023, he went undrafted and signed a professional contract in Greece, where he played 10 games. He then moved to Israel to play before joining the Bandits around a month ago. He’s averaged about six points in aaround 12 minutes per game with Vancouver.

Fortuitously, his first games as a Bandit occurred in Ontario, and Suzette was able to attend.

“Not only was it our first few times playing together professionally at this level, but also it was like the first time we got to do it in front of our family as well. So it was like a kill two birds with one stone type of vibe,” Notice said.

The hope now is that the good fortune extends one more game. Once again, Suzette and family will be amongst the crowd in Montreal.

“Just the fact that we could share our love for basketball and have that be the anchor for both of us being together in one place has been just amazing. It’s an opportunity and experience that I hope that could last forever,” Notice said. 

“But obviously I want to win a championship with him. I think that would cement it even better.”