FRASER VALLEY REMAINS UNDEFEATED WITH ANOTHER VICTORY OVER THE RATTLERS
By: Justine Jones • Jul 02, 2021
ABBOTSFORD, B.C., July 1, 2021 – Kenny Manigault tallied 24 points and seven rebounds as the Fraser Valley Bandits (3-0) topped the Saskatchewan Rattlers (0-3), 86-66 on Thursday afternoon at the Abbotsford Centre.
For the third straight game Fraser Valley had a different player head the charge. In their season opener it was Alex Campbell who led all players with 25 points off the bench and in game two CEBL veteran and Abbotsford, B.C., native Marek Klassen topped the scoresheet with 21 points.
“With the depth that we have, with the multiple playmakers we have, any night it can be somebody’s night and we are very happy the ball is getting spread around,” said head coach Dave Singleton. “It’s important for us to continue to have all of our players confident that they can step up at any moment.”
Although only two players (Klassen and fellow guard Malcolm Duvivier) remain from last year’s roster that made a remarkable run to the CEBL Championship finals, this new squad has adopted a similar attitude and is playing with a chip on their shoulder. Fraser Valley has established itself as an early championship contender with their three statement victories.
“There’s always stuff to get better at, we’re never going to relax here that’s not the way we do it, that’s not our culture,” said Singleton. “We want to make sure we’re taking it one game at a time and staying humble and in the moment.”
The Bandits had another strong start, converting defensive stops into offensive baskets. Seven-foot centre Brandon Gilbeck had four blocks, with three of those stops coming within the first three possessions. Establishing interior defence early forced the Rattlers into long three-pointers for the duration of the half while simultaneously sparking the Fraser Valley offence.
“Defense has always been my thing growing up,” said Manigault. “I’ve always used defence to get my offence going. It’s been three games now so it was time for me to find my rhythm offensively.”
Fraser Valley remained aggressive in the lane, drawing fouls, and making tough layups. The Bandits scored 26 of their 44 first half points from inside the paint and driving the ball to the basket early on helped to pull Rattlers defenders in and open up three-point looks for their shooters. With talented perimeter players on their roster including the likes of Klassen, Campbell, and Duvivier, this is a dangerous offence for opponents to matchup against.
Saskatchewan struggled to score in the first half, but a bright spot was their usage of the shot clock. Although the Rattlers were settling for perimeter looks, their patience in running down the shot clock showed they were trying to make the most of each possession. Saskatchewan found success when they were able to get in the lane and attack the basket, something coach Chad Jacobson will continue to encourage his players to do throughout the season.
“Right now we’re just getting out worked. Tonight we lost the physical battle and that’s something we have to address moving forward,” said head coach Chad Jacobson. “We just have to start playing better as a team. It doesn’t matter if we’re playing Fraser Valley or Niagara or whoever it is, we just have to start playing better as a team and worry about the things we can control.”
JaKeenan Gant went down with an injury just before the half and did not return. Gant was the Rattlers’ leading scorer in their first two contests, notching 22 points in their season opener and 13 points in their second game of the year. After Gant left the game, Devonte Bandoo emerged as a leader for Saskatchewan draining shots from beyond the arc and finishing with 25 points on 75 per cent shooting.
“No one wants to lose, so we have to dig deep,” said Bandoo. “You’ve got to give credit to Fraser Valley, they run a great offence and they have a great coaching staff. We tried to figure them out but unfortunately they got the best of us tonight. We tried our best but we have to go back and look at film and get better from here.”
The Saskatchewan Rattlers return home to the SaskTel Centre to host the Niagara River Lions (1-1) on July 4 at 3:00 p.m. ET/ 2:00 p.m. local time. Rattlers fans can return to the arena on July 12 when Saskatchewan hosts the reigning CEBL champions, the Edmonton Stingers. Tickets are on sale now at https://www.therattlers.ca/tickets.
Fraser Valley will continue their home stand when they welcome the Ottawa BlackJacks (1-2) to the Abbotsford Centre on July 3 at 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. local time.
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.
LATEST NEWS
The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that one of the province’s largest General Motors dealerships, Preston Chevrolet, has renewed its dedication to supporting Canadian professional basketball by extending its community and marketing partnership with the Bandits for the 2024 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. Vancouver Bandits and Preston Chevrolet have been partners since the Vancouver Bandits made their debut at the Langley Events Centre in 2022. The focus of Preston Chevrolet’s partnership with BC’s professional basketball team is to contribute to the game day experience at the home venue, the Langley Events Centre (LEC), while supporting their additional community outreach programs. This support includes initiatives such as; the Community Champion program, Vancouver Bandits’ school visits, and community event attendance throughout the province powered by the Vancouver Bandits’ Community Cruiser proudly supplied by Preston Chevrolet. Since 2022, Preston Chevrolet has supported the Community Champion program where community teams from across the region have experienced Vancouver Bandits basketball in the Preston Players’ Lounge at Langley Events Centre. The community Champion program allowed hundreds of at-risk youths to get the opportunity to attend Vancouver Bandits games; an opportunity that many would not receive otherwise. With the support of Preston Chevrolet, from November 2023 to February 2024; the Vancouver Bandits head coach & general manager Kyle Julius visited 81 middle school and high schools across the province. The purpose of these visits was to support middle school and high school basketball programs with complimentary coaching and player development. “Our community partnership with the Bandits has been outstanding from the start. Both our organizations believe in the value and accessibility of sports, particularly team sports for youth and families in our communities” said Peter Heppner of Preston Chevrolet. Preston Chevrolet has been a family-owned and operated business in Langley since 1965. Purchased from the Preston family in 2006 Peter and son (Leigh Heppner) continue the long-standing commitment to supporting the communities they serve. “The moment we committed to Langley Events Centre in 2022 we were made aware of Peter Heppner and Preston Chevrolet’s commitment to giving back to the community. It was more than just marketing for Peter and Preston Chevrolet, it was about finding ways for Vancouver Bandits basketball to execute programming that provided youth in our community with accessible opportunities. Peter Heppner, Leigh Heppner, and the entire team at Preston Chevrolet have embraced Vancouver Bandits basketball with open arms, enabling us to strengthen our community and bring us together through basketball. We are excited to continue our partnership for a third consecutive season.” Bandits team president Dylan Kular said. 
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-9 forward and former Santa Clara University Bronco Josip Vrankic for its upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season at Langley Events Centre (LEC). A native of Toronto, Ont., Josip is currently playing for Gipuzkoa in the LEB Oro, the second highest division of professional basketball in Spain, which as a nation boasts the second best national team FIBA ranking in the world behind the United States. The 2023-24 campaign in progress is Vrankic’s second professional season after playing five decorated seasons of NCAA Division I basketball at Santa Clara between 2017-22, the alma mater of Victoria, B.C. product and NBA Hall of Famer Steve Nash. Vrankic will report to Vancouver upon the conclusion of his current season in Spain. "I am excited to join the Bandits family and to be part of a group that is focused on winning and growing together. I have heard great things about the fanbase in Vancouver and I am looking forward to a special season," Vrankic said. Vancouver’s highly anticipated home opener is on Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m. PT against the Montréal Alliance. Single game tickets for the home opener and all regular season games are on sale now at this link . Vrankic is enjoying another solid season early in his professional career; posting averages of 22.4 minutes, 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game on 34.4 per cent shooting from three-point range over the course of 32 games played with Gipuzkoa. Last year he made his pro debut with Chieti, where he placed first on the club in rebounds (8.0) and second in points per game (14.9) in 17 games played before signing with Ravenna to finish the 2022-23 season. Prior to turning pro, Vrankic appeared in 137 games for the Broncos, starting 131 – a program record. His 1,817 career points place him third in school history while his 801 rebounds place him eighth. Vrankic punctuated his illustrious Division I career by earning four consecutive West Coast Conference (WCC) selections; including back-to-back first team recognition in 2021 and 2022. “Josip is a very high IQ basketball player with great versatility. He can really shoot and play inside. We think he is a great fit for our group and we really look forward to him becoming part of our family,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. Vancouver will play a total of 10 regular season home games in 2024 between Thursday, May 23 and Thursday, July 18. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road against Montréal on Sunday, July 28 at 1 p.m. PT. All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on TSN+, as well as the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+ , and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices). Individuals interested in ticket flexibility or purchasing a bundle of tickets are invited to consider a flex pack or season tickets . More information can be found at thebandits.ca/tickets or by speaking with a Bandits representative by calling (604) 455-8881 or emailing tickets@thebandits.ca . A complete regular season schedule can be found by clicking here . 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 Tuesday that the province’s largest energy provider, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FortisBC) , has renewed its dedication to supporting Canadian professional basketball by extending its community and marketing partnership with the Bandits for the 2024 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. The focus of FortisBC’s partnership with British Columbia’s professional basketball team is to contribute to the game day experience at Vancouver’s home venue of the Langley Events Centre (LEC) and to support basketball communities throughout British Columbia through the Indigenous Basketball Collective program’s youth clinics, officiating clinics and coaching clinics. Through Indigenous Basketball Collective, FortisBC and Vancouver Bandits previously built outdoor basketball courts that now serve as new recreational hubs for local youth in four Indigenous communities across the province and have hosted youth basketball clinics for Indigenous youth. “Our support for the Vancouver Bandits is an example of FortisBC’s commitment to the communities where we live and work,” said Doug Slater, vice-president of Indigenous relations and regulatory affairs at FortisBC. “We have made great strides with the Bandits in building safe basketball facilities for Indigenous youth across the province and look forward to our continued work together.” FortisBC believes strongly in being an active partner with communities and supports many community-based initiatives and organizations throughout British Columbia each year. Since 2022, the goal of the Indigenous Basketball Collective has been to create increased opportunities for Indigenous players, coaches and others involved in basketball to participate in training camps, competitions, workshops and more. “According to I∙SPARC, basketball is the most popular sport amongst Indigenous youth in this province and through the Indigenous Basketball Collective we can support the basketball ecosystem in British Columbia. FortisBC has been a pillar partner for the Collective since 2022 and their support of the Collective has seen hundreds of youth attend camps and dozens of new coaches and officials added into the basketball ecosystem. Their support of basketball goes beyond supporting the professional basketball club in this province and we are grateful for their support.” Bandits team president Dylan Kular said. 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 Tuesday that internationally celebrated vocalist and actor Sharry Mann will perform at Langley Events Centre (LEC) on Saturday, June 1 when the Bandits host the visiting Calgary Surge for the club’s first-ever South Asian Heritage Game. Exclusive to ticketholders for the Bandits’ game day, Mann will delight Bandits fans in attendance with two performances on June 1st; including a pre-game concert in the arena bowl and a half-time show during the intermission between the second and third quarters of gameplay. Fans in attendance are kindly encouraged to arrive prior to 7 p.m. PT to ensure that they have time to find parking (free on-site at LEC) and locate their seats before Mann’s performance, which will be shortly after the top of the hour before the Bandits and Surge tip-off at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for Mann’s highly anticipated concert; which is included in the cost of a Bandits game ticket, are on sale now at this link . Admission to the concert and game are combined and start at $27.50 per ticket. All ticket prices are inclusive of taxes and fees. A world-renowned artist famous for his appearances and chart-topping hits in Punjabi music and film, Mann has amassed hundreds of millions of plays on YouTube and Spotify ; including tracks such as ‘3 Peg’ (800+ million plays on YouTube, 50+ million Spotify streams) and Hostel (250+ million plays on YouTube, 13+ million Spotify streams). Mann’s success has paved the way for the talented artist to be recognized globally. Recent recognition includes winning best music video at the Brit Asia TV Music Awards for ‘Yaar Chadeya’ in 2019, as well as having various tracks appear in the Top 40 of the Britain’s Official Charts . The June 1st Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) match-up between Vancouver and Calgary will be the first time that the Western Conference foes have met since Calgary inched past Vancouver in last year’s Western Conference Finals. Adding to the game’s excitement is the debut of the Bandits’ South Asian Heritage jersey, designed by Sandeep Johal to be worn by Vancouver at the game to honour and celebrate the culture and artistry of South Asia. “I am thrilled to welcome Sharry Mann and his management to Langley Events Centre for what will surely be one of the most exciting games of the 2024 CEBL season. Fans in attendance will be treated to two awesome musical performances courtesy of Sharry as well as a must-watch rematch against our rivals from Calgary,” said Bandits team president Dylan Kular. Vancouver will play a total of 10 regular season home games in 2024 between Thursday, May 23 and Thursday, July 18. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road against Montréal on Sunday, July 28 at 1 p.m. PT. All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on TSN+, as well as the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+ , and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices). Individuals interested in ticket flexibility or purchasing a bundle of tickets are invited to consider a flex pack or season tickets . More information can be found at thebandits.ca/tickets or by speaking with a Bandits representative by calling (604) 455-8881 or emailing tickets@thebandits.ca . A complete regular season schedule can be found by clicking here . More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok , as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter .
LATEST VIDEO
A provincial coaches clinic co-hosted by the Vancouver Bandits and Basketball BC featuring Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius and Canada Basketball coaching alumni Allison and Mike McNeill. Please watch a full video recap of the event by clicking above or scroll to the desired chapter by hovering your cursor over the video timeline. A breakdown of chapters from the coaching clinic has been included below for reference. 0:00:00 - Allison McNeill and Mike McNeill Introductions 0:01:56 - Warmup 0:11:38 - Individual Shooting Drills 0:26:49 - Inside/Outside Drill 0:39:20 - Post Drill 0:42:42 - Perimeter Iso Drill 0:55:05 - Passing Drill 0:59:54 - 2x2x2 Drill 1:06:09 - 1-on-1 building up to 4-on-4 drills 1:18:57 - Spacing Drills 1:23:45 - Allison McNeill and Mike McNeill Closing Remarks 1:26:43 - Kyle Julius Introduction 1:43:31 - Power Spots/Spacing Drills 1:52:15 - Transition Drills 1:59:27 - Offence Drills 2:02:14 - Flair Slip Offence 2:11:25 - Motion Pin Offence 2:17:33 - Late Clock Offence 2:22:49 - Kyle Julius Closing Remarks
Inside the life of a CEBL U SPORTS Development Athlete and Canada West men's basketball star. Follow along as we join Diego Maffia for a "Day in the Life" of a U SPORTS athlete during a road game between the University of Victoria Vikes and the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades. Directed and edited by Simrit Saini.
A provincial education seminar co-hosted by Basketball BC and Vancouver Bandits professional basketball club. Vancouver Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius and Trinity Western Spartans women’s basketball head coach Cheryl Jean-Paul provide their insights on the question, “How does knowledge of who your officials will be affect your pregame planning?” Click here to watch question 2 .
A provincial education seminar co-hosted by Basketball BC and Vancouver Bandits professional basketball club. Vancouver Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius, Trinity Western Spartans women’s basketball head coach Cheryl Jean-Paul and U SPORTS/CEBL official Trevor West provide their insights on the question, “How does your familiarity with an official affect how you interact with officials during the game?” Click here to watch question 3 .
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