BLACKJACKS THWART BANDITS’ FURIOUS COMEBACK TO EMERGE VICTORIOUS
By Justine Jones • July 11, 2021
OTTAWA, ONT., July 10, 2021 – Johnny Berhanemeskel had his best game of the year as his 24 points helped the Ottawa BlackJacks (2-4) stave off a late run by the Fraser Valley Bandits (4-2) to seal a 90-84 victory on Saturday night at TD Place.
Ottawa came out with great energy and attacked the basket early in the opening quarter. Nick Ward was dominant down low, had the team’s first 11 points, and was the only BlackJack to score during the opening five and a half minutes. The former College Park Skyhawk put up hook shots, finished pretty passing plays with slam dunks, and was physical in the paint drawing fouls. Ward tallied 17 points and six rebounds on the night.
The BlackJacks’ guards were also aggressive, driving to the hoop and attracting defenders which in turn opened up good looks for the team’s perimeter shooters. Johnny Berhanemeskel benefited from this, scoring a trio of three-pointers to help stretch Ottawa’s first-half lead.
“Johnny allowed us to get going early, he also gives us a bit of overall confidence with his presence on the court,” said BlackJack head coach Charles Dubé-Brais. “He makes the right pass and he’s obviously a great shooter.”
Ball movement in the key also allowed for some easy looks for Ottawa. The team tallied nine assists in the first quarter, with four of them coming from Earl Calloway.
While the BlackJacks’ offence was stellar early on, it was their defensive intensity that forced turnovers and allowed them to get good looks in transition. Ottawa opened up an 18-point lead after the first quarter and controlled the pace for most of the game. The BlackJacks were able to withstand a late Fraser Valley run to secure their second win on the season.
“We gave the first punch, we showed them we’re playing on our home court,” said Berhanemeskel. “We had a really good week at practice, playing hard, focusing on details, and it showed right from the beginning. Even though they came back I think we all just talked about staying together and it showed at the end of the game. We won a really good game against a really good team in the league right now.”
The Bandits were on the road for the second straight game and had a rocky start. Fraser Valley had seven first-quarter turnovers that led to 16 points for Ottawa. The Bandits took better care of the ball in the second quarter and were able to make a run to cut the lead to single digits. A couple of late BlackJack buckets opened the lead back up to 14 points at the half.
“We have to be better, specifically defensively which kind of was our hallmark to start the season. Obviously being on the road is a lot different and I don’t necessarily think we were ready for that,” said Fraser Valley head coach Dave Singleton. “You can win or lose games in one quarter and I thought that was the determining factor was the first quarter, it was an uphill battle from there. When you’re down 15, 16, 17 points in a quarter in professional basketball it’s very hard to come back.”
Fraser Valley came out with more energy in the third quarter, opening up a 15-5 run to cut the lead to single digits again. The Bandits took the lead at 1:15 in the fourth quarter, marking the first time Fraser Valley led since it was 2-0 in the opening frame. Shaquille Keith, who played with the BlackJacks in 2020, was an integral part of the Bandits’ run, scoring 14 points in the third frame alongside Alex Campbell who contributed eight points in the quarter. All of Keith’s 21 points came in the second half.
“In the first quarter we came out slow and weren’t getting to the free-throw line as much. I just tried to change that, get to spots on the court, get those mismatches and get some aggression around the rim,” said Keith. “I try to bring that same approach to every game but you definitely play with a little extra grit when you play your former team.”
Next up for the BlackJacks and the Bandits is the Guelph Nighthawks (0-4). Ottawa will travel to Guelph to take on the Nighthawks on July 12 at 7:00 p.m. ET at the Sleeman Centre.
Fraser Valley will host the Nighthawks at Abbotsford Centre on July 14 at 7:00 p.m. PT/10:00 p.m. ET. Fans will be welcomed back into the arena for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and tickets are on sale now at thebandits.ca/tickets.
All CEBL games will be available for live streaming on the CEBL’s new OTT streaming service CEBL+, cbcsports.ca, the free CBC Gem streaming service, the CBC Sports App for iOS and android devices, and on Twitch.
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 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 typically runs from May through August. More information about the Bandits is available at thebandits.ca.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Savory, Director of Operations, (604) 217-6213, asavory@thebandits.ca
About the Fraser Valley Bandits:
The Fraser Valley Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the club is proud to call Abbotsford Centre home. The Bandits offer a riveting entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue. PerfectLens, a Vancouver-based contact lens supplier, is the official presenting partner of the Bandits’ 2021 season. Head to thebandits.ca for more information.
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The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-9 forward Dominic Parolin to its roster for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. Hailing from Coquitlam, B.C., this marks Parolin’s first professional basketball contract after recently completing a six-year NCAA DI career with stints at Boise State University and Lehigh University. “I can’t wait to start off my professional career with the Bandits. This organization has a history of success and I am excited to be a part of it,” said Parolin. “Having grown up around Vancouver, this is also a great opportunity to reconnect with the local basketball community.” After redshirting during the 2024-25 season, Parolin appeared in 32 games for the Boise State Broncos in 2025-26 where he suited up in 32 games with averages of 5.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.5 blocks in 17.0 minutes per game. Prior to Boise State, Parolin played four seasons with the Lehigh Mountain Hawks where he was named Third Team All-Patriot League in 2024. “We are all excited about working with Dominic. He has had a tremendous college career and has a very high ceiling as a professional player,” said Bandits head coach and general manager, Kyle Julius. “Dominic plays with big time toughness, has great size and a versatile game as a power forward. Being a B.C. kid, we are thrilled that he is back home playing for us in front of friends and family.” An alumnus of Centennial Secondary in Coquitlam, B.C., Parolin captained the Centaurs’ senior boys team to a fifth-place finish at the 2020 BC 4A Boys Basketball Provincial Championship, while also earning First Team All-Star honours at the tournament. The Bandits open the 2026 CEBL season on Thursday, May 14 on the road in Saskatoon before coming home for its Home Opener against the Edmonton Stingers on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. A full game schedule can be viewed here . Bandits Single Game Tickets and additional 2026 ticket options can be purchased here . All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, the CEBL Mobile app, the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Marquee games will air nationally on CBC TV. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed NBA-experienced guard Mychal Mulder for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 6-foot-3 guard from Windsor, Ont., Mulder appeared in 84 NBA games between 2019 to 2022 for the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat. His breakout season in 2020-21 saw him appear in 60 games for the Warriors, where he averaged 5.6 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.4 assists in 12.8 minutes, including six starts alongside the likes of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins. “I am excited to be in Vancouver to play with the Bandits and work with coach Kyle Julius this summer. Playing in a Canadian league is a first for me, and it is an opportunity that I take pride in,” said Mulder. “We are going to have a really good group and a very competitive season; Bandits fans, get ready.” Mulder most recently played for the Washington Wizards’ NBA G League affiliate, Capital City Go-Go, during the 2023-24 season where he appeared in 27 games and averaged 5.2 points, 1.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists in 17.3 minutes per game. A product of the University of Kentucky, Mulder played two seasons of NCAA DI basketball from 2015 to 2017. He averaged 4.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.4 assists in 10.6 minutes through 32 contests for a Wildcats squad that advanced to the Elite Eight at the 2017 NCAA March Madness tournament. “Mychal is an elite Canadian player who has built a career as accomplished as any player to play in our league. He will provide big time experience and leadership to our group,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “He has played with the best players in the world and it is going to be awesome to have him enhance our culture and push our group towards a championship.” Internationally, Mulder has represented Canada at the senior level on two occasions at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers and the 2021 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Mulder joins reigning CEBL Canadian Player of the Year Tyrese Samuel as players who have signed with the Bandits for the upcoming 2026 season. The Bandits open the 2026 CEBL season on Thursday, May 14 on the road in Saskatoon before coming home for its Home Opener against the Edmonton Stingers on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Bandits Single Game Tickets and additional 2026 ticket options can be purchased here . All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, the CEBL Mobile app, the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Marquee games will air nationally on CBC TV. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.
The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) is proud to announce CEBL Signing Day , coming April 8. Replacing the CEBL Draft , Signing Day will roll out across league-wide social platforms, spotlighting the next wave of elite Canadian talent as student-athletes from U SPORTS and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) officially sign for the 2026 season. Two athletes per team will be announced, with the possibility of more signings as the season approaches. Since 2019, the CEBL’s partnership with U SPORTS and more recently also the CCAA has built a pro-level stage where the best intercollegiate talent from coast to coast can shine. CEBL teams are incentivized to carry development players on their active rosters, with up to three developmental players eligible per game outside the Club’s salary cap. The results speak for themselves: 116 student-athletes from 44 schools across Canada have been selected by CEBL clubs through the draft process, a testament to the exceptional depth and calibre of Canadian collegiate basketball. The world will be watching. Through the CEBL's landmark five-year broadcast partnership with CBC Sports, these talented student-athletes will get national, and global, spotlight. Marquee games will air on CBC TV, including the first-ever best-of-three CEBL Finals in league history, with every CEBL game live streamed on CBC Gem and CBC Sports YouTube and CEBL+ . Canadian basketball has never been more visible and it's only getting bigger. For the full 2026 CEBL schedule, visit cebl.ca/schedule . Details on the league’s new playoff format are available at cebl.ca/playoffs , and ticket information for all CEBL games can be found at cebl.ca/tickets .
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