Fraser Valley Bandits drop close battle on the road in Guelph

GUELPH, ON, June 15, 2019 – The Fraser Valley Bandits fought through adversity and went back-and- forth in tightly contested game on the road against the Guelph Nighthawks at Sleeman Centre, but were unable to grind out the victory before ultimately losing 92-86.

BOX SCORE

SCHEDULE

Tyrrel Tate (Calgary, AB) was an all-around force for the Bandits, scoring 27 points while also collecting 10 rebounds and distributing four assists in a double-double performance. Tate was also pinpoint accurate from the free throw line, converting on 11-of-12 (91%) of his attempts from the foul line.

“We faced adversity throughout the game and the guys showed great heart by battling to stay within striking distance and taking the lead at different points of the contest. It’s not the result that we wanted, but we were able to showcase a lot of different lineups that will be options for us as we build towards our next game this upcoming Saturday at Abbotsford Centre,” said Head Coach and General Manager Peter Guarasci.

Game Flow:
The Bandits entered Saturday night’s game with an 0-7 record and were looking to make a statement on the road. Fraser Valley quickly got out to a 4-0 run thanks to a nice turnaround jumper by Marek Klassen (Abbotsford, BC) in the lane, but Guelph responded with an inside-outside attack that was capped off by a three from Chris Johnson and a tip-in by Marcus Lewis. The Bandits were able to bounce back; however, thanks to the timely play of Klassen, who knocked down an important three-pointer with 23 seconds left in the quarter to keep the game close at 15-13 in favour of Guelph heading into the second frame.

With the Bandits within striking distance, the Nighthawks countered with a 10-0 run to open the second quarter that was capped off by an Olu Famutimi three-pointer. Anton Gill (Raleigh, NC) halted the run with a quick trigger pull-up three that cut the score to 25-16 with seven minutes left in the second.

Canada Basketball veteran Ransford Brempong (Thornhill, ON) provided important minutes, and his energetic play at both ends of the floor kept the game close. A fellow Canada Basketball alumnus, Levon Kendall (Vancouver, BC) also provided important minutes. A nice kick-out pass by Kendall to Tate, who calmly nailed a corner three, trimmed the score to 35-27. Minutes later, Tate hit an even bigger three off yet another assist from Kendall that gave the Bandits their first lead of the game since the first quarter at 38-37, which would stand heading into half-time.

Both teams grappled for a firm lead to begin the second half. A three-pointer by Myck Kabongo helped Guelph restore its lead early at 42-41. Fraser Valley and Guelph traded baskets throughout the quarter, but a deep three-point strike by Diego Kapelan (Vancouver, BC) gave the Bandits a 57-55 lead with 2:40 left in the third quarter. Guelph responded thanks to the efforts of Chadrack Lufile and Jamal Reynolds, who were able to get into the paint and restore a 66-59 lead for the Nighthawks. A lay-in by Brempong late in the frame kept the Bandits close at 66-61 entering the final quarter.

The Bandits would threaten throughout the fourth quarter, but weren’t able to regain the lead that they battled hard for. A three by Joel Kindred brought Guelph’s lead to double digits two minutes into the frame at 74-64 and the Bandits did their best to chip away at what would ultimately prove to be an insurmountable comeback. Fraser Valley would get as close at 89-86 with just over a minute left to play after a put-back lay-up by Tate, but a late turnover allowed Guelph to regain possession and ice the game at the free throw line.

The final score was 92-86. The Bandits take on the Edmonton Stingers next Saturday, June 22, at Abbotsford Centre. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tickets are available here.

Key Game Stats:
• Board battle: The Bandits’ forwards contributed a strong effort on the glass, outrebounding Guelph 51-39 (+12).

• Three-point woes: Fraser Valley was unable to find its rhythm from long-range, hitting just 7-of-31 (22%) attempts from the three-point line, compared to Guelph’s 12-of-29 (41%).

• Second-chance points: The Bandits made the most of their offensive rebounds by converting on second-chance opportunities around the basket. Fraser Valley outscored the Nighthawks 34-28 (+6) in the paint.

Bandits Performer of the Game
#10 Tyrrel Tate – Forward – Calgary, AB