Edmonton Stingers Achieve Redemption, Win CEBL Summer Series
August 10, 2020
ST. CATHARINES, ON, August 9, 2020 –The Edmonton Stingers achieved Canadian basketball glory on Sunday, defeating the Fraser Valley Bandits, 90-73, and exercising the demons that lingered with the team after suffering a heartbreaking two-point semifinal defeat to the CEBL’s inaugural season champions, the Saskatchewan Rattlers.
The Stingers entered the game as favourites after finishing the CEBL Summer Series round robin atop the league standings with a 5-1 record, and a returning cast of players from last season. The Bandits arrived with a chip on their shoulder after being labelled by skeptics as too small to compete. Fraser Valley finished the round robin with a 4-2 record and held their own for most of the game, but were outclassed by the Stingers, who emerged as the dominant team in 2020.
"A big part of it was that last year we focused on the goal too much, this year we focused on the process,” Stingers head coach and general manager Jermaine Small said. “Kudos to Kyle (Julius) and his team, they're a gritty bunch. I said that the biggest thing would be our composure and our poise. We came out the second half and we had that killer instinct. We just put it away and having the MVP doesn't hurt."
Reigning CEBL Player of the Year Xavier Moon rose to the challenge and would not be denied a championship. Moon scored 31 points on a stellar 11-of-14 (.786) shooting from the field while also registering five rebounds, two assists and three steals. Moon’s 31 points were the most scored in a CEBL Championship Game and were also the most scored by a CEBL player this season, besting Fraser Valley forward Cameron Forte’s previous high of 30.
For his efforts, Moon was awarded CEBL Championship Finals MVP and is a favourite to repeat as Player of the Year after averaging 19.5 points on .522 shooting from field goal range in eight games played, including both round robin and postseason. It was fitting that Moon stood on the free-throw line with the ball and victory in his hands, reaching the Elam Ending target score of 90 for his champion Stingers.
"It was a tough journey,” Moon said. “The league got a lot better since last year and everybody came to play. We knew we had to come out with that tenacity. We dropped the first game to them (Fraser Valley), so we knew it was going to be a tough task, but everybody handled their business from start to finish and we came out and got this championship."
The Bandits entered the game fresh off a thrilling comeback on Saturday that saw Fraser Valley turn around a 14-point fourth quarter deficit and inch out a one-point victory, 76-75, over the Hamilton Honey Badgers.
It was Fraser Valley’s third come-from-behind win of the Summer Series. Although an impressive feat, it left skeptics wondering if the Bandits had enough in the tank for one last miracle. Fraser Valley was led by their motivational leader, Junior Cadougan, who contributed a team-high 13 points.
Moon asserted himself early, mixing in an array of floaters, and step-backs to keep the Bandits off balance. Moon was also lethal from three-point distance on the night, connecting on three-of-five of his attempts.
A late triple by Moon in the second quarter helped Edmonton take a four-point lead into halftime. No stranger to trailing at the break, Fraser Valley entered the second half desperate to pull off one last comeback.
With a championship on the line, Jahenns Manigat opened the half with a three-pointer, which brought the Bandits to within a single point. The slim deficit would be as close as Fraser Valley would get; however, as the Stingers absorbed each counterattack and made their run, usually led by Moon.
Edmonton’s returning core rose to the occasion and fought off the Bandits’ last push. Adika Peter-McNeilly drove to the rim, absorbed contact from Kyle Johnson and converted a tough lay-up before nailing a free throw that gave Edmonton a 13-point lead. The Bandits closed the third down nine points but ran out of steam in the final frame.
A 14-1 run by the Stingers in the fourth quarter and timely baskets down the stretch by Peter-McNeilly, Travis Daniels, Brody Clarke and Moon helped solidify a much-deserved victory for the Stingers, who proved that its returning foundation was up to the task of giving Edmonton its first CEBL Championship.
The Bandits entered the fourth down by nine points, but Edmonton outscored Fraser Valley 25-17 in the fourth to pull ahead for good.
"It's unfortunate that it didn't end the way we wanted,” Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius said. “I just told the group that I'm extremely proud of them. The work that we put in, the approach. We did everything the right way, throughout the tournament and preparation. We started with our group chats and meetings back in March. I couldn't be more proud of the group. That's a special group to me."
Celebrations ensued immediately as Small’s group stormed the court and surrounded Moon, who took a moment to savour the game-clinching moment before being mobbed by his teammates.
Following an immensely successful CEBL Summer Series that saw the league’s product on and off the court elevate to new heights, fans have much to look forward to as the league begins immediate preparations for its 2021 season.
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LATEST NEWS
The Vancouver Bandits have announced that forward Miller Kopp has signed an NBA Summer League contract with the Houston Rockets. The news was announced by the Rockets on the club’s website in a release .  Appearing in 14 games (13 starts), Kopp quickly established himself as a key Import player for the Bandits during the first half of the 2026 CEBL season, tallying 13.9 points The Rockets' roster will be headlined by 2026 NBA Draft selection Bruce Thornton (31st overall), who will begin NBA Summer League play on July 10 with scheduled games running through July 16. The Bandits have placed Kopp on its Reserve Roster in order for him to participate in NBA Summer League play while also retaining his CEBL rights, with the option to return to the club at the conclusion of his commitments.
The Vancouver Bandits failed to hold a fourth-quarter lead as they lost to the struggling Calgary Surge. Hosting the Surge on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre on Sunday afternoon as part of their Indigenous Heritage Game, the Bandits failed to make a single field goal in Target Score Time – settling for just three free throws – as they fell 92-84 to the Surge. Calgary led 83-81 heading into Target Score Time. It was the second consecutive loss for Vancouver and a fourth defeat in six games as they fell to 9-6 and second place in the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Western Conference. Calgary picked up just their second win of the season at 2-14. Vancouver had a great opening 10 minutes as they put up 33 points in the first quarter. But from there, the offence slogged, scoring just 51 points the rest of the way. “We’re working on that. I think getting all the guys to understand the play package, understand that, you know, we're going to be playing with different lineups. And when we do, what are the best plays to run with those lineups,” said Bandits interim head coach Rans Brempong. “We're still working to get comfortable. I think that's a big thing that we just need to clean up and we just got to continue to understand and work on our pace.” For Calgary, the victory was a nice reward for a team which has been close in its last few games. “When they went on their runs, we had to just maintain our composure, not getting too up or getting too down, just staying solid,” said Surge coach Dave Deaveiro. “I thought we fought through that, and every time we needed to get a bucket, we got a bucket. Every time we needed to get a stop, we got to stop it. We just stayed solid throughout.” And that was clear down the stretch when Calgary held Vancouver without a field goal on five consecutive possessions. “Tremendous effort. That was about willpower. We talk about imposing our will on the other team, especially in target time, where it has been other teams have been imposing their will on us. Today, I thought we did a little bit of that ourselves,” Deaveiro said. Another key was sharing the ball as the Surge finished with 27 assists on their 35 field goals. “We started swinging the ball twice, attacking from the corners, and that opened up a lot of options for our offense. So I just think when the ball started moving, we really took off,” Deaveiro said. Jarkel Joiner and Lloyd Pandi led the Banders with 16 points apiece with Tyrell Samuel and Tevin Brown adding 15 and 14 points, respectively. Calgary’s Adderson Pattison led all scorers with 19 followed by Mathieu Kamba’s 17. The Bandits now embark on a three-game, five-day road trip with stops in Saskatoon (July 7), Calgary (July 9) and Edmonton (July 11). The team’s next home game is July 17 against the Montreal Alliance as they celebrate Country Night. Tip-off is set for 7:00pm.
The Vancouver Bandits have announced that Kyle Julius has stepped down as head coach to accept a head coaching position in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Julius, who has been an integral part of the organization's success since 2020, will remain with the club as general manager for the remainder of the 2026 season. The Bandits organization fully supports Julius in this next chapter of his career, with the opportunity to lead at the CBA level exemplifying the Bandits as the top development organization in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) for both players and coaches. A two-time CEBL Coach of the Year (2024, 2025), Julius guided the Bandits to two CEBL Finals appearances in 2020 and 2024 while leading the team to the postseason in each of his five seasons at the helm. In 2025, he propelled the Bandits to a .792 winning percentage (19-5), the highest by any CEBL club across a full season. "I want to thank our tremendous coaches, president Dylan Kular, our ownership group Kevin Dhaliwal, Bryan Slusarchuk, and Milan Mann, the entire Bandits organization, our players, and the incredible fans for everything we have built together over the past seven seasons. Coaching the Vancouver Bandits has been one of the greatest experiences of my career. Together, we established a culture built on energy, effort, accountability, and player development. I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished on and off the court, but even more proud of the relationships that were built along the way. This opportunity to become a head coach in the CBA is one that is very important for my family and my career and, while it is difficult to leave a place that has meant so much to us, I believe it is the right next step. I will always be grateful to everyone who believed in me and supported our journey. I will be cheering for the Bandits from afar and wish the organization nothing but continued success. Vancouver will always hold a special place in my heart,” said Julius. Julius’ relentless commitment to building a championship culture transformed the Bandits into the CEBL's premier organization, earning its status as a true destination for world-class talent and top basketball development. The Bandits have advanced players to NBA two-way contracts directly following their time with the club in each of the past three seasons, more than any other CEBL organization. "Kyle has become family. He believed in this organization and poured his heart into building something special here. His vision, passion, and commitment to developing players and people have set a standard that will define the Bandits for years to come. Beyond wins, he gave us a foundation built on passion, accountability, and genuine care for every person in our organization. I am grateful for every early morning meeting, every late-night phone call, and every moment we shared chasing this dream together. This isn't goodbye; we will be cheering louder than anyone when he succeeds in China and beyond in the next chapters of his career,” said team president Dylan Kular. Off the court, Julius participated in the Bandits' youth sports development efforts primarily through the Bandits Community Foundation School Tour. Since 2023, the free-of-charge initiative saw Julius support training and skill development directly with nearly 200 school teams across British Columbia. In addition, through the Bandits Community Foundation, Julius has hosted countless youth skill clinics and coaching seminars with athletes and volunteer coaches across the province. In a corresponding move, the Bandits have appointed Lead Assistant Coach Ransford Brempong as Head Coach for the remainder of the 2026 CEBL season. A former Canadian Senior Men's National Team member, Brempong has represented Canada at the highest level for eight years. He also played professionally for six years in Europe and was a standout NCAA DI player at Western Carolina University, where he graduated as both the program’s and conference's all-time leader in blocked shots, a record that still stands today. "The Vancouver Bandits have high expectations for our roster, and I am excited to lend my decades of experience and skills developed at the collegiate, international, and national team levels to help our players get better and to achieve success this summer,” said Brempong. Fans will have an opportunity to connect with Julius in August after he returns from training camp in China, with details to be announced in the coming weeks.
The Vancouver Bandits seemed destined for an improbable comeback. Trailing by nine points entering Target Score Time, the Bandits — fueled largely by a trio of 3-pointers from Tevin Brown — rallied to pull even with the Edmonton Stingers, leaving both teams one point away from victory. Bandits forward Mychal Mulder came up with what appeared to be a huge blocked shot. But while the loose ball was still in the air, Miller Kopp was whistled for a foul, sending Taye Donald to the free-throw line with two chances to win the game. Donald needed just one, sinking his first free throw to give the visiting Stingers a 94-93 victory in Canadian Elite Basketball League action on Friday night on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. The Stingers improve to 7-7 while Vancouver sits at 9-5, good for a share of top spot in the Western Conference. “I think that we played with the right intensity and aggression in stints, but it was definitely not 40 minutes. And that was my message to the guys,” said Vancouver coach Rans Brempong. “You have got to come ready to play. It doesn’t matter the record, anyone can beat anyone in this league. “I appreciate the fight (we showed), but at the end of the day, it’s an ‘L’ in the column.” The Bandits led for much of the first half but held just a one-point advantage at the break before the Stingers built their lead to as many as 13 in the third quarter. “First of all, it was a great win. Most people don't know we traveled today on a plane. We got here, we ate, and we stuck together, so it was a great win on the road,” said Edmonton’s Stanley Davis Jr. The victory was a fourth straight for the Stingers and gives them a 2-1 edge in the season series over Vancouver with one head-to-head meeting still to go. “We didn’t play very well to open the season, so every game is big,” said Stingers coach Jordan Baker. “We’re trying to fight for a home playoff spot and obviously Vancouver’s been the cream of the crop in the West for the last handful of years, so for us to come in this building – it’s not an easy place to play and it’s not an easy place to win – so credit to our guys.” Tyrese Samuel led Vancouver with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Jarkel Joiner and Brown each added 19 points and Kopp finished with 14. Edmonton's bench outscored Vancouver's reserves 47-16. Davis came off the bench to lead the Stingers with 18 points, while Nick Hornsby and Donald each had 16 and Emmanuel Bandoumel had 15.  Vancouver returns to action Sunday (July 5) when it hosts the Calgary Surge in its Indigenous Heritage Game. Tip-off is set for 12:30 p.m. on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre.
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