FRASER VALLEY REMAINS UNDEFEATED WITH ANOTHER VICTORY OVER THE RATTLERS
By: Justine Jones • July 2, 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.
###
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 Canadian Elite Basketball League has confirmed that the start time for the Vancouver Bandits’ away game on Thursday, May 14 against Saskatoon Mamba at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Sask, has been changed from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. PT. This game will be Vancouver’s first game of the 2026 CEBL regular season. The game, along with all Bandits games during the 2026 season, will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, and the CEBL Mobile app. Fans can also tune in on the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel.
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 .
LATEST VIDEO
A message from Vancouver Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius on the 2025 season and thoughts on the CEBL Western Conference Semifinal.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on August 16th, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on August 3rd, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on July 25, 2025.