Edge-of-your-seat Excitement Expected When Fraser Valley, Hamilton Clash in Semifinals of CEBL Summer Series
Ottawa BlackJacks • August 8, 2020
Before the CEBL Summer Series began, league prognosticators were looking at Fraser Valley and wondering how much better they might be than the Bandits team from a year ago that finished 4-16 and last in the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s inaugural campaign. New head coach and general manager Kyle Julius brought an impressive international coaching resume and a roster of players familiar to him to Abbotsford to relaunch a franchise that dropped the first nine games in its history.
Midway through the Bandits opening game of the Summer Series, those questions were answered. Fraser Valley would be a team that would get after its opponent from the opening tip through the final buzzer. They opened eyes around the league by taking a 59-42 lead into halftime of their opening game against an Edmonton team that would lose that night but then roll off five straight wins over every other club in the league en route to securing the top seed in the playoff rounds. The Stingers were a popular pick to win the CEBL Summer Series before it began, but it was Fraser Valley that turned heads on opening weekend.
Julius made it a point to explain how his Bandits are everything today’s opponent, the Hamilton Honey Badgers, are not, posting a team video rightly touting that his club lacked the NBA G League and Canadian National team flavour of some other clubs. The Honey Badgers weren’t named, but they didn’t need to be. Their roster is filled with well-known players, while the Bandits roster is filled with players who have only become better known to observers who have watched the Summer Series since it began July 25.
Hamilton lost three probable starters, all with NBA G League pedigree, for different reasons the week before the Summer Series began - and then lost spiritual leader Duane Notice, also from the G League and national team program, to a torn Achilles during the Series. Head Coach Ryan Schmidt has had to reshape his roster multiple times in the past month, especially in the past 10 days, as players have been lost along the way. Yet the Honey Badgers still lead several CEBL statistical categories and have shown they can play with anybody on any given night.
Today’s matchup presents two teams similar in that they rely heavily on ball pressure and scoring in transition. While it may look like controlled chaos to the casual fan, generating scoring from defense and ball movement is key to both clubs. Fraser Valley rolls four guards much of the time, led by sharp-shooting veterans Marek Klassen and Junior Cadougan. Youngster Malcolm Duvivier and vocal team leader Jahenns Manigat push the ball, get to the basket, and wreak havoc on defense. In the black pinstripes, Brianté Weber has shown to be the best defensive player in the Summer Series and why he’s had stints in the NBA with Miami, Houston, Golden State, Charlotte, and Memphis. He’s averaging a league-best 2.43 steals a game, but more than that, he’s a presence on all 94 feet of hardwood any time he’s in the game.
Hamilton has shown the most balanced lineup in the Summer Series with eight players averaging 19 or more minutes of playing time through seven games. Weber’s 25.4 average leads the way. Only Weber (12.9) and Jean-Victor Mukama (12.7) are averaging double-digit scoring on the Hamilton roster for today’s game. Hamilton’s 44.1 to 41.7 rebounding advantage enables the team to get out and run as it likes to do.
Look for Hamilton to exploit its size advantage in the frontcourt and force Fraser Valley to beat them with outside shooting. The Bandits are averaging 22.0 points off opponents’ turnovers, so will be working to force Hamilton, already generous with league-high 19.4 giveaways per game, into sloppy play and careless mistakes.
Number three seed Hamilton topped second-seed Fraser Valley, 102-96, in their August 1 meeting. But since then both clubs have lost key producers—Cameron Forte who was the Bandits most productive offensive threat in the frontcourt, and Caleb Agada for Hamilton who scored 16 points in 19 minutes despite not having had a minute of practice time with the Honey Badgers prior to being added to the active roster 90 minutes before tipoff.
Expect an entertaining high-octane game fueled by ball pressure and grit this afternoon. The winner draws either top-seed Edmonton or the expansion Ottawa BlackJacks in the CEBL Championship game at 12 noon Sunday. Knowing these two clubs, the loser starts work Monday preparing for the 2021 CEBL season.
Quarterfinal Recap
After defeating Guelph, 84-70, on Wednesday to earn the number-two seed and a bye into the semifinals, Fraser Valley had the advantage of watching Thursday as Hamilton and Ottawa each played quarterfinal games. The BlackJacks grounded the Guelph Nighthawks, 83-75, to advance to the semifinals to face top-seed Edmonton at 3:50 p.m. ET today.
The Honey Badgers knocked out Niagara for the second year in a row to open the playoffs, 85-83, in a game that looked out of reach for the River Lions before they waged a furious comeback and took the Elam Ending the distance. With the target score of 84 posted, Weber rolled home a tough layup in traffic to deliver the victory. Hamilton had led 75-69 heading into the Elam Ending. Mukama scored a game-high 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds to pace the Honey Badgers.
First Meeting
Playing for the first time without guard Duane Notice, who appeared to be on his way to contending for tournament MVP honours, the Hamilton Honey Badgers welcomed Caleb Agada to the team 90 minutes before tip-off and needed all of his 16 points, plus the team-high 18 from Manny Diressa to seal a 102-96 victory. Fraser Valley got off to a slow start in this one, something that was a pattern for the team throughout the six-game regular season portion of the competition and had to play catch up most of the contest. Hamilton led 76-59 midway through the third quarter and resisted short rallies from Fraser Valley down the stretch. The Bandits posted an 18-10 scoring edge during the Elam Ending to narrow the final margin.
Hamilton shot .507 from the floor in this contest, and had six players score in double figures led by Diressa’s 18. The Honey Badgers dominated the boards by a 46-39 advantage, with the Bandits total including a game-high 10 retrieves from the now-departed Cameron Forte. Fraser Valley scored 26 points off 20 Hamilton turnovers, a key area the Bandits will need to exploit again today.
| PPG | FG-FGA | FG% | FT-FTA | FT% | O-D-REB | AST | TO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton | 86.6 | 211-486 | .434 | 116-161 | .721 | 92-217-309 | 131 | 134 |
| HBB Opp. | 84.7 | 210-496 | .423 | 112-151 | .742 | 90-202-292 | 132 | 122 |
| Fraser Valley | 87.7 | 185-423 | .437 | 100-131 | .763 | 73-182-255 | 113 | 94 |
| FV Opp. | 80.7 | 170-416 | .409 | 90-124 | .726 | 78-178-256 | 92 | 112 |
CEBL On the World Stage
More than 130 million new viewers will be able to watch this weekend’s semifinals and championship game of the CEBL Summer Seriesthanks to distribution agreements secured by MEDIAPRO Canada, the international media rights and production partner of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. The three games are now available to viewers in Australia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan.
Fox Sports, the top sports broadcaster in Australia with more than two million subscribers, Astro SuperSport, Malaysia’s dominant pay-TV sports broadcaster, and Singapore’s Singtel mioSports channels are airing the games throughout Asia-Pacific territories.
In the Philippines, where there are 75 million smartphones in use, the free TapGo app is delivering the games to a country that is renowned for its passion for basketball and is the third biggest market for the NBA behind the United States and China. In Taiwan, Sportcast, operated by CSTV Group, will telecast the three games.
MEDIAPRO Canada previously facilitated the live streaming of all 26 CEBL Summer Seriesgames on Twitch.tv, the world’s leading live, interactive streaming service for gaming, sports, entertainment, and music with 17.5 million users. Games are available on the twitch.tv/cebleague channel. Twitch recently launched a standalone sports category, featuring other top professional basketball leagues, including the NBA G League, Australia’s National Basketball League, and Brazil’s Novo Basquete.
Next Up
The winner of this matchup meets the winner of today’s second game between top-seed Edmonton and four-seed Ottawa in the CEBL Championship game Sunday at 12 noon. Defending champion Saskatchewan failed to qualify for the playoff portion of the Summer Series after posting a 1-5 record during the round robin portion of the competition, so a new league champion will be crowned.
LATEST NEWS
Today, the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced the winners of the 2026 CEBL Awards and the All-CEBL Teams via the league's digital and social media channels. Bandits forward Tyrese Samuel captured Canadian Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season. He was also named to the All-CEBL First Team and earned his second straight CEBL All-Canadian Team selection. Additionally, longtime international basketball official and Lower Mainland resident Mike Thomson was named a recipient of the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award in recognition of continued contributions to the CEBL officiating program. The full list of award winners is as follows: 2026 CEBL Award Winners Most Valuable Player: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Canadian Player of the Year: Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits) Coach of the Year: Tyrell Vernon (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Sixth Man of the Year: Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) CDIC Defensive Player of the Year: Kellen Tynes (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Developmental Player of the Year: Easton Thimm (Saskatchewan Mamba) Clutch Player of the Year: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award: Mike Thomson All-CEBL First Team: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Teddy Allen (Winnipeg Sea Bears), Javonte Smart (Ottawa BlackJacks), Sean East II (Brampton Honey Badgers), Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits) All-CEBL Second Team: Tavian Dunn-Martin (Saskatoon Mamba), Khalil Ahmad (Niagara River Lions), Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Nick Hornsby (Edmonton Stingers), Matthew Cleveland (Ottawa BlackJacks) CEBL All-Canadian Team: Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits), Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Quincy Guerrier (Montréal Alliance), Sean Miller-Moore (Calgary Surge), Jaden Bediako (Saskatoon Mamba) Samuel returns as the reigning Canadian Player of the Year, repeating as this year's winner after finishing third in the CEBL in rebounding at 8.7 per game. The Montreal, Que., native led Vancouver in rebounds (8.7), blocked shots (1.1) and field goal percentage (53.5 per cent), while finishing second on the team in scoring at 17.1 points per game. Samuel’s standout performances and accolades across his two seasons with the Bandits helped accelerate his career progression. Following the 2025 CEBL season, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns joining the team on its training camp roster. He is now preparing for his first overseas opportunity, signing with French club Cosea JL Bourg for the 2026-27 season who compete in the prestigious EuroCup league and the Ligue Nationale de Basket. A resident of New Westminster, Mike Thomson was honoured with the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award for his continued contributions to the CEBL officiating program. A FIBA-licensed Referee Instructor with nearly 50 years of basketball officiating involvement, Thomson’s resume includes officiating the 2000 Summer Olympic Games and serving as a Referee Instructor at the 2024 Summer Olympics and both the 2019 and 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cups. A longtime contributor to the CEBL, he served as both a Referee Coach and member of the Referee Advisory Committee this past season, drawing on his extensive experience in Canadian and international basketball to provide steady guidance and leadership throughout the season. Award winners and All-CEBL First, Second, and All-Canadian Teams are determined by votes cast by the CEBL's team head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters, and internal media personnel, based on regular season performance. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team. All CEBL award winners will receive a customized ring from Jostens, the Official Supplier of Award Rings of the CEBL, as well as a special gift from Foot Locker, the official sportswear retailer of the CEBL and its 10 teams. Details on tickets for the 2027 season can be found via CEBL.ca/tickets .
The Vancouver Bandits, in conjunction with the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), announced Tuesday that forward Tyrese Samuel is among the nominees for Canadian Player of the Year at the 2026 CEBL Awards. Most Valuable Player finalists Myles Powell of the Scarborough Shooting Stars and Teddy Allen of the Winnipeg Sea Bears headline the list of nominees revealed across five player award categories. 2026 CEBL Award Finalists Most Valuable Player: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Teddy Allen (Winnipeg Sea Bears) Canadian Player of the Year: Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits) Sixth Man of the Year: Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Stanley Davis Jr. (Edmonton Stingers) Defensive Player of the Year: Alex Fudge (Ottawa BlackJacks), Kellen Tynes (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Developmental Player of the Year: Easton Thimm (Saskatchewan Mamba), Mohamed Mahadhi (Saskatchewan Mamba) Additional 2026 CEBL Awards, including Coach of the Year, Clutch Player of the Year, the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award, and the All-CEBL First, Second, and All-Canadian teams, will also be announced next week following the conclusion of the CEBL Finals. Samuel returns as the reigning Canadian Player of the Year, up for the award for a second consecutive season. The Montreal, Quebec native ranked third in the CEBL in rebounding at 8.7 per game and led Vancouver in rebounds (8.7), blocked shots (1.1) and field goal percentage (53.5%), while finishing second on the team in scoring at 17.1 points per game. Award nominees and winners are determined by votes cast by the league's head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters, and media personnel. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team.
The Vancouver Bandits’ championship aspirations ended in the Western Final. The visiting Winnipeg Sea Bears never trailed after the first quarter, defeating the Bandits 107-96 on Saturday afternoon on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre in the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Western Conference Final. Winnipeg advances to face the Brampton Honey Badgers in the best-of-three CEBL Finals. “We had a couple of defensive assignment game plan pieces that I thought we just did not ever execute,” said Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius. “They jumped on us right from the start and had more energy.” Vancouver had won the season series 3-1, including a crucial 114-90 victory less than a week ago that clinched home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs. “This group (today) is way better than the Winnipeg we played the other day because of him,” Julius said of Sea Bears guard Trey McGowens, who finished with 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists. “I thought he was the X factor — the way he plays, the toughness he has, the athleticism,” Julius added. “He gave them a lot of life. The way he played, created a lot of opportunities.” Winnipeg’s Simon Hildebrandt also proved too much for the Bandits, finishing with 24 points to tie Xavier Moon for the team lead. “You have to give him a lot of credit … he absolutely killed us. He dominated his matchup all night,” Julius said. Shamar Givance led the Bandits with 21 points and 11 assists, while Mitch Creek and Tevin Brown finished with 19 points apiece.
At this stage of the season, style points don’t matter. “Just win the day. I said after the game, it wasn’t pretty, but this time of year, it’s survive and advance,” said Vancouver Bandits General Manager Kyle Julius, who returned to coaching duties on Thursday night. Julius had stepped away from coaching duties earlier in the season after accepting a coaching position in China but retained his role as the Bandits’ general manager. With Vancouver entering the Canadian Elite Basketball League playoffs, Julius returned to the sidelines Thursday night after consulting with interim head coach Rans Brempong, who had previously served as his lead assistant. The result was a 92-83 victory over the visiting Edmonton Stingers in the Western Conference semi-final on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Edmonton raced out to a 9-0 lead before Vancouver settled into its game and took a 52-42 lead into halftime. The Stingers responded with a strong third quarter, outscoring the Bandits 25-13, and led by five points in the fourth quarter before Vancouver battled back with an 11-1 run heading into Target Score Time. The game ended on a Mychal Mulder three-pointer from the corner. “I was spaced properly … and Shamar (Givance) made the right read and kicked it out to me, and I was able to knock it down,” Mulder said. “Our entire fourth quarter is a testament to how we fight and how you pull a win out.” Mulder scored 15 points off the bench and was one of five Vancouver players in double figures, with Givance leading the way with 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Mitch Creek (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Tyrese Samuel (13 points, 10 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles, while Tevin Brown added 19 points and connected on five three-pointers. Nick Hornsby led the Stingers with 22 points, but he was the only Edmonton player to score more than 11. A big factor in the late-game turnaround was the sold-out crowd cheering on the home side. “The crowd really got into it in the fourth quarter and they really boosted us,” Julius said. “I cannot say enough about our fans, they have been tremendous.” It was a sentiment echoed by Mulder. “They are incredible. They pack it out every game. (Coach) was saying in the locker room, it’s like all of a sudden, it turns into six-on-five,” Mulder said. “They are great for our energy and that’s what we fought for, to have home-court advantage.” Vancouver will look to capitalize on that home-court advantage once again when the Bandits host the Winnipeg Sea Bears on Saturday (August 8) at 12:30 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre in the Western Conference Final, with a spot in the CEBL Championship Finals on the line.
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