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).
LATEST NEWS
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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