Defensive Intensity Takes Centre Stage as Fraser Valley, Hamilton Battle on National Television
August 1, 2020
Midway through the round robin portion of the CEBL Summer Series the consensus surprise team has been the Fraser Valley Bandits. Surprise to most, but not to Bandits head coach Kyle Julius nor anyone wearing their orange and blue uniform. Julius emphasized chemistry when building a roster of players familiar with his system, most who have played for him previously during their career. Tenacious, tough, fighters who want to fight are labels often ascribed to a Julius-coached team, and this year’s Bandits exemplify that. Only a hard-luck roll off the rim late in Thursday’s 78-76 loss to Ottawa has kept Fraser Valley from a perfect 3-0 record. The Bandits present a balanced offensive attack with five players averaging in double digit scoring. They hold a 25.7 to 16.3 advantage over their opponents in points off turnovers, and a 28.7 to 20.0 edge in fastbreak points—evidence that pressure and scoring in transition are the staples of this team.
When Julius talks about his team being overlooked because it lacks big name national team players or the NBA tag, he’s alluding to today’s opponent, the Hamilton Honey Badgers. The Honey Badgers, who lost National team and NBA G League performers Aaron Best, MiKyle McIntosh, and Justin Jackson the week before training camp for different reasons, must re-tool yet again as the spiritual leader of the team and its most productive player in the CEBL Summer Series, Duane Notice, tore his left Achilles at the end of Wednesday’s loss to Edmonton and underwent surgery yesterday. Notice had been named Hamilton’s Player of the Game in the victory over Guelph and his 23 points against the Stingers drew the same honours.
Much like their opponent today, the Honey Badgers are ignited by ball pressure and winning the transition battles. Hamilton’s struggle to make shots—the team is shooting only .415 from the floor and averaging 88.0 points a game—is overcome by holding opponents to a .409 accuracy mark and 85.3 points per outing. Hamilton is scoring an average of 20.3 points off of 20.3 opponents’ turnovers a game.
Today’s game is being televised nationally by CBC, and internationally on cbcsports.ca and on Twitch.tv (CEBLeague). It’s also available on the CBC Gem app.
Players to Watch
Fraser Valley’s Cameron Forte, a 6-foot-7 forward out of Portland State, has jumped to the top of the CEBL Summer Series MVP race as his scoring average of 24.3 points is nearly seven points higher than the second-best scorer in the league. Forte accounts for 26 percent of his team’s points and 20 percent of their rebounds. Doing most of his damage in the paint, Forte is also grabbing 8.7 rebounds per game. He burned Edmonton for 28 points in the Bandits opening game and tied the CEBL record with six steals against Saskatchewan on Tuesday.
Replacing Notice at guard on the Hamilton roster is third year pro Caleb Agada, who had signed with the team this spring before heading over to play in Israel. He returned to Canada in July after averaging 15.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.5 steals and 29.2 minutes in eight games with Hapoel Beer Sheva (Israel-Winner League). The Burlington native played two games with the Honey Badgers in 2019, recording 19 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists in 28 minutes in his debut appearance against Niagara. He left Hamilton to train with the Nigerian National team before signing with Melilla in Spain’s LEB-Gold league where he averaged 14.7 points in 23 games.
Brianté Weber led Hamilton in scoring in the team’s first two games and along with Alex Johnson will have to shoulder more of the team’s quarterbacking duties in the absence of Notice. Like Notice, Weber is a lockdown defender and gives the team a 94-foot effort on defense and offense.
Forte will have to contend with the Hamilton duo of Owen Klassen and Derek Cooke, Jr. in the battle of the big men. Klassen opened the Summer Series with a 15-point 10-rebound effort against Niagara and followed that up with 16 points and six rebounds versus Guelph. Foul trouble limited him to three points and five rebounds against Edmonton. Cooke Jr. made his tournament debut against the Stingers with two points and a rebound in six minutes.
The Bandits roll a four-man backcourt of Marek Klassen, Jahenns Manigat, Malcolm Duvivier, and Junior Cadougan—all scoring threats and strong defensively. Cadougan was drafted by Hamilton in 2019 but missed the season because of injury, and Duvivier was signed to a free agent contract immediately following the draft but was never added to the club’s Active roster.
Schmidt Back for 2021
Hamilton announced Friday that it has extended the contract of head coach Ryan Schmidt through the 2021 season. As assistant coach who has led player development with the Toronto Raptors NBA G League affiliate Raptors 905 the past three years, Schmidt picked up the first win of his professional head coaching career Monday against Guelph. Schmidt has been responsible for advance game scouting and planning with Raptors 905, and throughout his time with that team he has been accountable for offense, defense, and special teams that has included practice, game planning, and strategic execution. The Oregon native has also worked with players in the Canadian National Senior and Junior National teams since 2017.
Next Up
Both teams get right back at it in a doubleheader tomorrow. Hamilton meets the expansion Ottawa BlackJacks for the first time in the opener at 1:30 p.m. ET. With both clubs heading into the weekend carrying a 1-2 record, it could be a must-win game for one or both teams. Fraser Valley meets Niagara (1-3) in the second game of the twin-bill at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT).
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A season-high 25 points from Shamar Givance wasn’t enough as the Vancouver Bandits came up short in the final road game of the season. The Montreal Alliance defeated the Bandits 87-82 on Tuesday night, a game where three Bandits recorded their highest point totals of the season. Along with his 25 points, Givance also added eight rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes of action. “He was the definition of a warrior tonight,” said Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong. Givance, who came off the bench, took a bulk of the guard minutes after leading scorer Jarkel Joiner exited the game in the first half. “He picked up 94 feet and he went over every screen. It’s commendable. That’s why we brought Shamar here for the effort he gives,” said Brempong. Stephen Zimmerman in just his second game with Vancouver recorded 13 points and six rebounds. Jarrell Eddie scored a season-high 17 points and notched his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. “Certain guys were thrust into positions they’re not normally in and that’s growth,” said Brempong. Both teams struggled offensively, particularly outside the paint, but what they lacked in offence was made up by their defence. The Bandits shot 9-33 from beyond the arc, and the Alliance cashed in on just 11 of the 32 three point opportunities. The Bandits recorded seven blocks and six steals, while the Alliance recorded four blocks and six steals. Montreal native Tyrese Samuel recorded 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. He played just 22 minutes after picking up two early fouls in the first quarter. No Canadian player has scored more points than Tyrese Samuel’s 358 points this season. Neither team separated themselves as the game stayed close for all four quarters. The largest lead of the game was eight, which belonged to Montreal. Vancouver exploded in the third quarter and outscored Montreal 27-17, yet their scoring wouldn’t translate to the fourth quarter. The Bandits offence lacked consistency all night, scoring just 16 points in the final frame. Quincy Guerrier led the Alliance with 26 points and seven rebounds. The Bandits will head home for the final game of the regular season against the Winnipeg Sea Bears. The Bandits (14-9) currently sit top of the Western Conference while the Sea Bears (13-10) sit in second place. “The mission is still the same.”
Five players were in double figures as the Vancouver Bandits defeated the Saskatoon Mamba 104-97 on Saturday night. The Bandits led for the entirety of the game, leading by as many as 17 points. Vancouver now sits atop of the Western Conference at 14-8, topping the Winnipeg Sea Bears (13-9). This win also secured home court advantage in the playoffs for the Bandits, who will officially begin the postseason on Thursday, August 6 at 7:00 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Tevin Brown led the Bandits in scoring with 23 points and seven three pointers made. “My teammates did a good job of getting me open,” said Brown. “They just let me play my game. (We) play a fast-paced offence and that’s where I thrive.” James Karnik followed with 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Bandits jumped out to an early 31-15 lead as Brown scored 11 of his 23 points in the first quarter. The Mamba went on a 29-21 run in the second quarter to cut the lead to 52-44 by halftime. Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong applauded his team for their resilience in the wire-to-wire win, even as the lead dwindled. “They might fight back but (we) still have to stay aggressive,” said Brempong. “Credit to Saskatoon. They made their run, but I’m more proud of the team and the resilience they’ve shown during the last handful of games.” All 11 players who played tonight recorded a made basket. Former NBA draft pick Stephen Zimmerman made his Bandits debut, recording two points and four rebounds in just three minutes of action. “It’s going to take everybody. Whether you come off the bench, I don’t care. Be strong enough that you affect the game and you impact winning,” said Brempong. Brempong said the Bandits are still bought into the mentality of being “on the hunt”, despite being first in the Western Conference. Brempong also said they can’t take their recent success for granted. “Don’t let it lull you to sleep. You still have to stay sharp,” he said. A layup from Shamar Givance won the game for the Bandits in target time. He finished with nine points and eight assists. Next, the Bandits will head on the road for a matchup with the Montreal Alliance on Tuesday, before wrapping up the season at home against the Winnipeg Sea Bears.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that the club has signed former NBA draft selection and decorated overseas champion Stephen Zimmerman for the remainder of the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 7-foot centre hailing from Las Vegas, Nev., Zimmerman was selected 41st overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2016 NBA Draft and appeared in 19 games as a rookie. With the signing, Zimmerman becomes the first-ever NBA draft selection to sign with the Bandits. “Zimmerman brings additional size to our team and experience from the highest levels of the game around the world,” said Bandits general manager Kyle Julius. “His signing is part of our strategic plan to ensure we have a strong roster to compete in the CEBL playoffs.” A veteran of 10 professional seasons, Zimmerman most recently played for Gigantes de San Francisco in the Dominican Republic during the 2025-26 season where he helped lead the club to a Dominican LNB championship. He also earned championships in the Czech Republic, guiding ERA Nymburk to both a Czech Cup and Czech NBL title in 2021. His journeyman career overseas includes previous stops in Germany, Poland, Australia, Japan, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Malaysia and China. In addition, Zimmerman played parts of four NBA G League seasons with the Orlando Magic’s affiliate (Erie Bayhawks, now Osceola Magic) in 2016-17, the Los Angeles Lakers’ affiliate (South Bay Lakers) in 2017-18, the New York Knicks’ affiliate (Westchester Knicks) in 2018-19, and San Antonio Spurs’ affiliate (Austin Spurs) in 2022-23. Internationally, Zimmerman represents the United States. He competed for his country at the senior level at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup and 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, and won a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in 2014. Before playing professionally, Zimmerman played one season of NCAA DI basketball for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). As a freshman, he started 24 of 26 games played and averaged 26.2 minutes, 10.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocked shots per game while shooting .477 per cent from the field.
WINNIPEG, MB - July 23, 2026 - The Vancouver Bandits are back in the win column after a second half comeback against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on Thursday night. The Bandits defeated the Sea Bears 92-77 to take them atop of the Western Conference, now tied with the Sea Bears at 13-8. “For the past two years, we’ve been in first place and we’ve been hunted. We’re the hunters this time around,” said Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong. Vancouver trailed for most of the game, and by as many as 14 points, before exploding in the final 20 minutes of the game. The Bandits shot just one-for-seven from three point range in the first half. “We’ll make mistakes but keep the game close and see if we can steal it, which is what we did.” Vancouver’s defence stepped up in the second half, holding Winnipeg’s best stars to a rough shooting night. Isiah Osborne, who averages 12.9 points, was held to four points on two-for-eight field goal shooting, while Emmanuel Akot made just one field goal for four points. CEBL scoring leader Teddy Allen scored 26 points, but he took 22 shots to do it and committed four turnovers. Jarkel Joiner’s 24 points once again led the Bandits. He also recorded three assists and two steals. “He’s quick and he’s strong,” said Sea Bears head coach Mike Raimbault about Jarkel Joiner. Joiner said there’s a “fight” within the team, especially with a close schedule remaining. “We know we’re fighting for homecourt advantage,” he said Bremprong praised the Bandits for sticking together in an unorthodox season. “This team is extremely resilient,” said Brempong about the Bandits’ second comeback win in three games. “The year has already thrown punches. We got thrown into the fire, but the fire is also a place where iron gets sharpened.” The paint was dominated by the Bandits as they scored 62 of their 92 points in the paint, including countless ferocious dunks from Tyrese Samuel and James Karnik. Rookie big man Dominic Parolin also poured in seven points, eight rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes of action. “We got those guys because they’re big boys and they’re Canadian,” said Brempong. Tied at 70 heading into the fourth, Tevin Brown was the answer Vancouver needed, scoring 10 of his 12 points in the final frame. Brown’s play catapulted a 22-7 scoring run in the fourth quarter to clinch the win. A putback layup by Karnik was the game winner. He finished with a season-high 17 points and season-high 12 rebounds. “To slay a Sea Bear isn't easy,” said Brempong. The Bandits will return home for a quick one game home stand on Saturday against the Saskatoon Mamba at 6 p.m. Tickets can be found at thebandits.ca . “Every game is a new challenge.”
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