Fraser Valley Bandits Sign Diego Kapelan
Bandits Staff • May 28, 2019
Former King George Dragon, NCAA Division I standout and veteran of Europe’s top pro leagues comes home to the Lower Mainland to join the Bandits in advance of Ontario road swing. Kapelan will make his Bandits debut alongside Marek Klassen tomorrow in Hamilton, Ont.
ABBOTSFORD, BC, May 28, 2019 –
The Fraser Valley Bandits announced Tuesday the signing of Diego Kapelan, a native of Vancouver, BC, and one of the Bandits’ Regional Round selections at the inaugural Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) Entry Draft.
Kapelan, a six-foot-three guard, recently completed his 2018-19 season with Gimnasia y Esgrima de Comodoro in Liga Nacional de Báskquetbol, Argentina’s top professional basketball league. Prior to playing in Argentina, Kapelan played for Soles de Mexicali (Liga Nacional de Baloncesto) where he averaged 9.5 points per game on 43% shooting from the field and 41% shooting from three-point range.
After averaging 32 points per game in his senior year at King George Secondary in Vancouver, Kapelan took his talents to McNeese State University, where he played Division I basketball for the McNeese Cowboys from 2008 to 2011. Kapelan helped the Cowboys win the 2011 Southland Conference regular season title and was a key cog in the Cowboys’ postseason tournament appearance in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 2011.
Kapelan finished his McNeese career ranked second on the school’s all-time three-pointers made list with 295 and 19th in total points scored with 1,405. Furthermore, Kapelan continues to hold the McNeese record for most three-point baskets in a game with nine, which he recorded in 2009 against Northwestern State.
Kapelan turned pro after finishing play at McNeese State University and has since played for more than 10 different clubs across Europe over the course of a decorated professional career. He won Most Valuable Player of the 39th William Jones Cup after competing alongside some of Canada’s top pros and averaging 18 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game on 53.3% shooting from the three-point line.
Kapelan will debut for the Bandits tomorrow night in Hamilton, Ont. alongside Marek Klassen, an Abbotsford native, who recently joined the Bandits after finishing his season in Turkey. The Bandits take on the Hamilton Honey Badgers at 4 p.m. PT Wednesday, May 29. The game can be streamed live and for free on CEBL TV.
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Andrew Savory, Marketing and Communications Manager, (604) 217-6213, asavory@thebandits.ca
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