Fraser Valley Bandits Lose Steam, Come Up Short On the Road in Saskatchewan

Bandits Staff • August 3, 2019

SASKATOON, SK, August 2, 2019 – The Fraser Valley Bandits hung with the Saskatchewan Rattlers for three quarters, but ultimately lost momentum in the final quarter of play and fell to the Rattlers 83-73.

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Tyrrel Tate (Calgary, Alta.) was a consistent source of offense for the Bandits, scoring 16 points and recording five assists and five rebounds as well in just over 27 minutes of action.

“This was a tough one tonight. Coming off a close loss the night prior and then having a tight turnaround on the road, you really need to find that extra gear and dig in as a group. We struggled to find a rhythm tonight. Now, it’s our job to come home and put on a show for our fans these last two games of the season,” said Head Coach and GM Peter Guarasci.

Game Flow:

After a heartbreaking loss on the road against Edmonton the night prior, the Bandits entered SaskTel Centre determined to get back on track after losing three straight games. The Rattlers were hot early as Alex Campbell scored 13 points in the opening quarter to help fuel an early lead for Saskatchewan. Campbell converted an and-one lay-up off a nice pass from Shaquille Keith to pace the Rattlers at 21-13 with two minutes left in the opening frame. Joel Friesen (Abbotsford, BC) hit his second three of the game to bring the score to 23-16, and then hit another long-distance strike to bring the Bandits to within 24-19 entering the second.

The Bandits continued their push in the second. A pull-up jumper by Tate reduced the Rattlers’ lead to just 32-30 with five minutes left in the quarter. Tate followed up his efforts by sinking two free throws to knot the score at 32. Tate was a force throughout the quarter, hitting a pull-up three in transition off a nice pass from Friesen to give the Bandits a slight edge to close out the half 41-40.

Both teams opened the second half unwilling to give up easy baskets. After the opening five minutes of the frame, the Bandits held a slight lead at 51-49. A push by the Rattlers late in the third quarter helped Saskatchewan retake the lead. Jelane Pryce split a pair of free throws at the end of the frame to give Saskatchewan a 60-56 lead entering the final quarter.

The Rattlers’ lead ballooned in the fourth quarter. A three-pointer by Pryce three minutes into the fourth lifted Saskatchewan’s lead to 69-60. The Bandits responded with a push of their own, trimming the lead to 72-67 after Jelan Kendrick (College Park, GA) converted a free throw following a

technical foul call. Despite Fraser Valley’s best efforts, the Bandits were unable to overcome the late deficit as a three-pointer by Keith with just under two minutes left to play gave the Rattlers a 78-67 lead. The lead proved to be all Saskatchewan would need as the Rattlers closed out the game 83-73.

Fraser Valley’s next game is at home this Thursday, August 8, against the Niagara River Lions at Abbotsford Centre. Tickets can be purchased here.

Key Game Stats:

·Out on the break: The Rattlers showcased their athleticism throughout the game, outscoring the Bandits on the fast-break 19-13 (+6).

·Secondary possessions: Saskatchewan outrebounded the Bandits 52-48 (+4), including +4 in the offensive rebounds category.

·Struggles from deep: The Bandits were unable to find their stroke from long-range, converting on just 6-of-22 attempts (27%).


Bandits Performers of the Game

#10 Tyrrel Tate – Forward – Calgary, Alta

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