FRASER VALLEY BANDITS HOST GUELPH NIGHTHAWKS IN PLAY-IN WITH QUARTERFINALS BERTH ON THE LINE

CEBL Staff • August 4, 2022

The Fraser Valley Bandits and Guelph Nighthawks will look to advance to the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) quarterfinals in a play-in showdown at Langley Events Centre at 7:30 PT on Thursday night.

The Bandits enter the game after finishing the regular season in fourth place in the CEBL standings with a 12-8 record to clinch a home playoff game in Langley. The Nighthawks finished in seventh place at 10-10 and earned the final playoff spot after clinching with a win over Saskatchewan last week. The winner will play either the Niagara River Lions or Scarborough Shooting Stars in this weekend’s quarterfinals. The Bandits would play Scarborough if they win, while the Nighthawks would play Niagara.

Fraser Valley and Guelph split their two matchups in the regular season with the Bandits securing a 90-85 victory at the Sleeman Centre and the Nighthawks winning 87-79 in Langley. In Fraser Valley’s win, Shane Gibson led all scorers with 23 points while Thomas Kennedy netted 21 points to go along with 9 rebounds. Cat Barber provided Guelph with 22 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds in the loss, while AJ Hess added 20 points, Ahmed Hill contributed 19 points and TJ Lall had 15 points and 13 rebounds. The Bandits had a 40-30 advantage in points in the paint in the win, and a 22-4 advantage in bench points. Free throws were also a difference maker in the first meeting, with the Nighthawks going 14- 21 from the line at a 66 per cent rate.

In the second meeting, the Nighthawks went on a 9-2 run in Elam time to power themselves past the Bandits. Giorgi Bezhanishvili was a low-post force for the Nighthawks in the win, scoring a game-high 19 points on 8-14 shooting from the field and 2-4 from three, along with 7 points in Elam time. Cat Barber chipped in 15 points that included the game-winning bucket and Stef Smith also scored 15 points for Guelph. Gibson led the way with 16 points on 6-11 shooting for the Bandits while Alex Campbell scored 15. Both teams had balanced attacks with five players reaching double figures on each side. The Nighthawks were efficient from the field and beyond the arc, shooting 52 per cent from both areas in a winning effort. After giving up 10 offensive rebounds in the first half, Guelph regained focus on the boards in the second half, giving up just one offensive rebound.

Shane Gibson emerged as the number one scoring option for the Bandits this season and leads the team with 18.7 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game and 1.3 steals per game on 48 per cent shooting from the field. Alex Campbell is a two-way weapon for Fraser Valley, averaging 13.3 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game, and 1.6 steals per game and Marek Klassen showed off his elite playmaking in 9 games, averaging 10 points per game and 6.4 assists per game. The Bandits also have a strong frontcourt with Thomas Kennedy, James Karnik, Brandon Gilbeck and Maxie Eshoe. Kennedy

is averaging 14.5 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game on 64 per cent shooting from the field, while Karnik averages 15.9 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game.

“This Fraser Valley team has toughness. We have a lot of grit, a lot of good chemistry,” shooting guard Shane Gibson says, “We've had a lot of guys come in and out of the team, which has thrown off the chemistry, but somehow we've been able to bring it all back around and the core group of guys have been there.”

Meanwhile, Cat Barber has cut through defences all season and scored 19.6 points per game for Guelph to go along with 5.2 assists per game and 4.7 rebounds per game. TJ Lall has been a consistent two-way force for the Nighthawks with 10.2 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game, 1.2 steals per game and 1.2 blocks per game. Ahmed Hill played all 20 games for Guelph and averaged 17.8 points per game on 44 per cent shooting from the field and 40 per cent from three. Mid-season additions AJ Hess, Maurice Calloo and Giorgi Bezhanishvili have all had a positive impact on the squad and average double-figures. Bezhanishvili has had the largest impact, averaging 15.2 points per game on 50 per cent shooting from the field while hauling in 6 rebounds per game.

The Nighthawks wrapped up the season as the second-best offence in the league behind Niagara with 87.7 points per game on a league-best 46 per cent from the field off of 17.9 assists per game. Meanwhile, the Bandits finished fourth in points per game at 85.9 on 45.1 per cent shooting, and they usurped the Saskatchewan Rattlers for the league lead in three point shooting, finishing with 221 threes made on a league-best 37.6 per cent.

Tickets for the play-in game are available at https://www.thebandits.ca/tickets.

Fans will be able to live stream all games including the playoffs on the CEBL’s OTT streaming service CEBL+, the CEBL’s official app, CEBL Mobile for iOS and Android devices, cbcsports.ca, the free CBC Gem streaming service, the CBC Sports App for iOS and Android devices and on NXT Level Sports in the U.S. As part of its playoff coverage, CBC Sports will broadcast the quarterfinal games Sunday, August 7, semifinal games Friday, August 12, and the Championship game on Sunday, August 14. For the complete broadcast and streaming schedule, click here. All times are subject to change.

The CEBL’s fourth regular season began May 25 and ends August 1. A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL is the largest pro sports league in the country with 10 teams located in six provinces. It has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 71 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us (@cebleague) on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

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7 Bandits Players Named to 2026 NBA G League Training Camp Rosters

By Bandits Staff • October 27, 2026

Seven players who have previously suited up for the Vancouver Bandits, including five from the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season, have been named to NBA G League training camp rosters ahead of the start of the 2026-27 season on November 6, 2026. The NBA G League serves as the NBA’s official minor league and features 31 teams, with 30 clubs having one-to-one affiliations with NBA franchises. Surrey, B.C.’s James Karnik will join the Portland Trail Blazers’ affiliate, Rip City Remix. Karnik has participated in 36 regular season games across four seasons dating back to 2022, including four games in 2026. This marks the first time that he has been named to an NBA G League training camp squad. Jaelen House, a former NBA G League All-Star who played in 10 games for the Bandits during the 2026 season, will be competing for a roster spot on the Utah Jazz’s affiliate, Salt Lake City Stars. He set the Bandits’ single-game scoring record, recording 42 points against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on June 18, 2026. The Charlotte Hornets’ affiliate and defending NBA G League champion, Greensboro Swarm, will feature Jarkel Joiner. Joiner played 21 games for the Bandits in 2026, leading the team in points per game (17.8), before being named to the Hornets’ training camp roster and logging minutes in four NBA preseason games. Joining Joiner on the Swarm is Kyle Mangas, who appeared in 16 games with 14 starts for the Bandits during the 2025 season. John Knight III, who logged 18 games for the Bandits in 2026, joins the Houston Rockets’ affiliate, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, a club he has played for since 2023. D’Andre Davis, who appeared in three games for the Bandits in 2026, looks to secure a roster spot with the Boston Celtics’ affiliate, Maine Celtics. A member of the 2023 Bandits roster, Georgian-born forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili will take the court with the Atlanta Hawks’ affiliate, College Park Skyhawks. The opening night rosters for all 32 NBA G League teams must be submitted by Sunday, November 5.

Former Bandits Forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili Signs Exhibit 10 Contract With Atlanta Hawks

By Bandits Staff • October 15, 2026

Former Vancouver Bandits forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Atlanta Hawks. The news was announced by the Hawks via social media on Wednesday. Introduced in the NBA’s 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year deals. They can include a potential bonus if the player spends time with the team’s G League affiliate.

Vancouver Bandits & I SPARC Host Youth Basketball Camps in Haida Gwaii

By Bandits Staff • October 7, 2026

HAIDA GWAII, BC - October 6, 2026 - This past weekend, Vancouver Bandits, BC’s professional basketball team, and the Bandits Community Foundation hosted a series of youth basketball clinics on Haida Gwaii, continuing its ongoing series of community visits across the province in partnership with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I∙SPARC). The community visits and youth camps on Haida Gwaii were also made possible through the generous support of Langara Island Lodge and Skidegate Band Council. Led by Bandits Team President Dylan Kular and Community Manager Pavan Kalair, local youth athletes aged 10 to 17 from across Haida Gwaii participated in free-of-charge workshops and basketball camps, furthering the Bandits Community Foundation’s goal of bringing more basketball to more people across the province. "Haida Gwaii has an incredible passion for basketball, and it was an honour for our staff to spend time on the court with so many talented young athletes," said Vancouver Bandits Team President Dylan Kular. "Our partnership with I·SPARC through the Indigenous Basketball Collective is about building lasting relationships with communities across the province and making sure every young player has access to the game. We are grateful to Langara Island Lodge, the Skidegate Band Council and everyone in Old Massett, Masset and Skidegate who welcomed us, and we cannot wait to come back." “Programs like this show what is possible when partners come together for Indigenous youth,” said I·SPARC’s Chief Executive Officer Rick Brant. “We are proud to work with the Vancouver Bandits to bring high-quality basketball coaching to Haida Gwaii, where the game is so deeply loved." Bandits staff led PHE classes with students at Chief Matthews School in Old Massett, and ran skill development clinics for local youth athletes aged 13 to 17 across three communities at Kwiiyaans Community Hall (Old Massett), Daaxiigan Sk’adáa Née School (Masset) and George Brown Recreation Centre (Skidegate). “We are grateful for the opportunity for the Vancouver Bandits and I·SPARC to come in and work with our youth,” said Trevor Russ, head coach of the Old Massett Raiders boys basketball team. “Basketball plays a big role for our youth in Masset, and the Bandits coming to town provides an opportunity for them to work with some high-level coaches at the professional level. Our youth are very happy to have this opportunity.” “To be able to have the Vancouver Bandits come to Skidegate and Haida Gwaii is very important,” said Desi Collinson, Recreation Coordinator and elected representative to the Council of the Haida Nation. “Basketball means a lot to Haida Gwaii; it brings excitement, hope and inspiration to our communities. Organizations like the Bandits and I·SPARC give us different insights and outlooks that our young athletes have not experienced before, and we are happy to have them here to uplift our youth.” The camps are part of the Indigenous Basketball Collective, representing the ongoing collaboration between I∙SPARC and the Vancouver Bandits. Established in 2023, previous community visits hosted through the Collective since its inception include Ahousaht, Bella Coola (Nuxalk First Nation), Kitimat (Haisla Nation), Nanaimo (Snuneymuxw First Nation), Victoria, West Vancouver and Williams Lake with future youth camps and coaching seminars currently being planned for 2027.

Vancouver Bandits to Host Free-of-Charge Youth Basketball Camps in Haida Gwaii

By Bandits Staff • October 2, 2026

This weekend, youth across Haida Gwaii will have the opportunity to learn and sharpen their basketball skills from British Columbia’s professional basketball team. Through the generous support of the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I∙SPARC) and Langara Island Lodge, the Vancouver Bandits and Bandits Community Foundation will be hosting free-of-charge youth basketball camps across Haida Gwaii, marking the organization’s first community visit to the North Coast region. “Haida Gwaii means a great deal to us, and we know how much basketball means to these communities. The game gives young people a place to grow, brings families together, and creates opportunities for teams to proudly represent where they come from,” said Yos Gladstone, Sales Coordinator, Langara Island Lodge. “The young players, coaches, families, and teams here deserve every opportunity we can help bring their way. We are grateful to the Vancouver Bandits, I∙SPARC and the Bandits Community Foundation for their commitment to make this program happen, and especially to those in Haida Gwaii who give so much of their time, energy, and efforts to basketball year-round.” “For us, supporting this program is personal. We care about the communities and the people who make them so special. If this visit from the Vancouver Bandits gives local players more time on the court, encouragement to keep going, and a chance to connect through the game, that is something we are proud to be part of.” The camps are hosted in collaboration with I∙SPARC, Bandits Community Foundation, Haida Gwaii Recreation and School District 50 Haida Gwaii. Across three days, over 200 youth athletes aged 10 to 17 and their families will gather in gymnasiums across Haida Gwaii for camps and workshops led by Bandits and Bandits Community Foundation staff members. Youth participants will also receive complimentary Vancouver Bandits merchandise. "Haida Gwaii holds a legendary place in this province and Indigenous basketball culture and being on the ground in Masset and Skidegate truly showcases how powerful this sport is," said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. "The competitive drive and skill level of these youth are incredible, but what is even more inspiring is how basketball acts as a heartbeat for the entire region. Seeing the immediate connection between the youth, the coaching staff, and the local fans highlights exactly why we wanted to bring the Bandits to Haida Gwaii.” “We want to extend our deepest thanks to the Haida Nation and our partners at I∙SPARC and Langara Island Lodge for hosting us and sharing their incredible hospitality. This visit marks an exciting milestone for our organization, and we look forward to building on this relationship for years to come." The camp schedule for this weekend is as follows: Friday, October 2 Kwiiyaans Community Hall, Old Massett 12:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Daaxiigan Sk’adáa Née School, Masset 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, October 3 George Brown Recreation Centre, Skidegate 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, October 4 George Brown Recreation Centre, Skidegate 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The forthcoming camps are part of the Indigenous Basketball Collective, representing the ongoing collaboration between I∙SPARC and the Vancouver Bandits, and build upon recent previous community visits to Williams Lake and Bella Coola earlier this year. Established in 2023, ongoing and past projects through the Collective include camps and clinics for Indigenous youth and coaches, building new basketball courts in Indigenous communities, and hosting the 2026 Junior All Native Basketball Tournament.

FRASER VALLEY BANDITS HOST GUELPH NIGHTHAWKS IN PLAY-IN WITH QUARTERFINALS BERTH ON THE LINE

7 Bandits Players Named to 2026 NBA G League Training Camp Rosters

Former Bandits Forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili Signs Exhibit 10 Contract With Atlanta Hawks

Vancouver Bandits & I SPARC Host Youth Basketball Camps in Haida Gwaii

Vancouver Bandits to Host Free-of-Charge Youth Basketball Camps in Haida Gwaii

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