FRASER VALLEY BANDITS GO ON SALE FOR FIRST-EVER PLAYOFF GAME ON HOME SOIL
Bandits Staff • August 3, 2021
Tickets for the nationally televised game on Aug. 15 are now on sale through Ticketmaster
ABBOTSFORD, B.C., August 3, 2021 – The Fraser Valley Bandits announced Tuesday that the club is going on sale
with tickets for its highly anticipated and potential quarterfinal playoff matchup taking place on Sunday, Aug. 15. The scheduling of the game is currently subject to the order in which the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) regular season standings finalize following the conclusion of the regular season on Tuesday, Aug. 10.
Quarterfinal matchups will see the team that finishes third host a single-game knockout against the sixth place team, while fourth place will host the fifth place team.
Fraser Valley is currently ranked fourth with a 5-5 record. Should Fraser Valley win two of its next four games against Edmonton (Aug. 4 and 6) and Saskatchewan (Aug. 8 and 10), the club will be guaranteed either a third or fourth place finish in the CEBL standings and thereby will host a quarterfinal playoff game.
The potential playoff game is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 15. Tip-off is at 1 p.m. PT and tickets are on sale now
through Ticketmaster or by calling (604) 866-0529.
Due to the uncertainty of how each team’s season will conclude, ticket holders are able to enjoy flexibility regarding use of their tickets in the event that Fraser Valley finishes fifth or sixth in the standings and is required to play a quarterfinal playoff game on the road. If Fraser Valley finishes fifth or sixth, ticket holders will be able to apply the value of their tickets toward a future Bandits game in 2022 or can request a refund by contacting tickets@thebandits.ca.
A quarterfinal playoff at Abbotsford Centre on Aug. 15 would mark the first time in club history that Fraser Valley has hosted a playoff game on home soil. This past July 14th, the Bandits became the first professional sports team in B.C. to welcome fans back to its stands.
This historic feat paved the way for Fraser Valley to host three consecutive sell-outs at Abbotsford Centre with an average of more than 2,000 fans in attendance at each game. In accordance with consultation and guidance from local health authorities, the venue’s current seating configuration permits it to welcome up to 50 per cent of its regular capacity for Bandits games.
“We would not be where we are today without our fans. The Fraser Valley is home to some of the most die-hard fans in sports and we have seen that firsthand since we launched. After being the most-watched team at last year’s CEBL Summer Series and now hosting three straight sell-outs, I believe that this is the Valley’s moment to come together to create an intense playoff atmosphere at Abbotsford Centre. It’s a single game elimination and everyone is invited,” said Bandits vice president Dylan Kular.
The Bandits have already clinched a playoff spot thanks to the team’s defensive versatility and well-rounded scoring. Centre Brandon Gilbeck currently leads the CEBL with three blocks per game, while Kenny Manigault has been a menace on the defensive end, averaging a league-leading 2.1 steals per game. On the offensive end, seven Bandits are averaging more than nine points per game, including 2019 CEBL Finals MVP Alex Campbell, who leads Fraser Valley in scoring with 15 points per game.
A victory on Aug. 15 would punch Fraser Valley’s ticket to Championship Weekend (Aug. 18-22) in Edmonton, Alta., where the Bandits would compete as one of four teams vying for the CEBL title.
Fraser Valley’s quarterfinal tilt will be nationally televised on CBC. In addition to live stream touchpoints on the free CBC Gem streaming service and cbcsports.ca, as well as CEBL+, all Bandits regular season games are available to watch on TELUS Optik TV® on Channel 1901 Lower Mainland Live Sports. Fans can learn more and subscribe to CEBL+ via this link.
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 come from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian national team program and top NCAA and U SPORTS programs. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season typically runs from May through August. Head to thebandits.ca for more information and click here to purchase your tickets.
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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 have announced today the following roster updates in advance of its Thursday, June 18 away game against the Winnipeg Sea Bears at 5:00 p.m. PT: G Shamar Givance has been added to Club's active roster and will be available for tonight's game. F Tyrese Samuel has been placed on the Club's reserve roster in order for him to participate in potential NBA team workouts; he will return to the club at the conclusion of his commitments.
Mitchell Creek’s season debut didn’t disappoint. The reigning Canadian Elite Basketball League Most Valuable Player poured in 29 points, seven rebounds and four assists as a late game comeback by the Vancouver Bandits fell short. “I thought (Creek) was awesome tonight, as he always is,” said Bandits head coach Kyle Julius. The Scarborough Shooting Stars defeated the Vancouver Bandits 108-105 in dramatic fashion on Monday Night. The Shooting Stars led by as many as 17 points in the third quarter, which eventually turned into a one point deficit, led by Creek. However, the comeback proved to be too much for the Bandits as they fell in the final moments of the fourth quarter. “I was disappointed with our third quarter. It was like an implosion,” said Julius. In the opening quarter, back-and-forth action followed, with neither team gaining too large of an edge. The Shooting Stars led 24-23 after the first quarter. This contest featured a star-studded cast of players as both teams boast the best records in their conferences. The Bandits entered action with a 7-2 record, while the Shooting Stars were 7-1. Countless lead changes ensued, yet Scarborough’s lead jumped out to 65-61 by halftime. They continued the pressure as the lead grew to double digits in the third quarter, headlined by Myles Powell’s 33 points. Julius thought his team “lost their cool” and acted “immature” as the Shooting Stars took the lead. Jaelen House scored 22 points on seven-for-nine field goal shooting, while Miller Kopp followed with 20 points, five three pointers made and three steals. Jarkel Joiner had 17 points in 26 minutes. Despite the loss, Julius praised the versatility and depth of his team, noting the Bandits’ adversity through injuries. “I’m proud of where we are,” he said. The Bandits were without reigning Canadian Player of the Year Tyrese Samuel and Dre Davis, allowing Dominic Parolin into the starting lineup. Parolin finished with eight points and eight rebounds. Next, the Bandits will travel to Winnipeg for a matchup with the Sea Bears on Thursday before playing the Brampton Honey Badgers at home on Saturday.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Sunday that the reigning Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) Most Valuable Player Mitch Creek has re-signed with the club and will suit up on Monday, June 15 against the Scarborough Shooting Stars. The 6-foot-5 forward and fan favourite returns to the Bandits after a stellar 2025 campaign in which he was named Most Valuable Player and an All-CEBL First Team Selection. Creek had one of the most statistically productive stretches of his career during the 2025 CEBL season. Starting in all 20 regular season games, he averaged a team-high 24.4 points per game along with 6.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 34.4 minutes.Creek made his CEBL debut during the 2024 season and currently ranks second on the Bandits’ all-time leading scorers list (643 points). Creek appeared in five NBA regular season games during the 2018-19 season, splitting time between the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves averaging 4.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on 50 per cent shooting from the field across both clubs. A veteran of 15 professional seasons, Creek was a mainstay and all-star in his home country’s National Basketball League (NBL), logging 338 games and served as captain for both the Adelaide 36ers and South East Melbourne Phoenix. Most recently, Creek competed for Romanian club U-BT Cluj-Napoca during the 2025-26 season where he captained the team to a Romanian League championship and received All-EuroCup Second Team honours. A native of Horsham, Australia, Creek is a major basketball figure in his home country and has been instrumental to the success of the national team, known as the Boomers, and was recently named to Australia’s roster for the upcoming 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers taking place in July. Creek will step away from the Bandits’ roster later this month to join the Australian national team in advance of its FIBA World Cup Qualifier games on July 3 and 6 against Guam and the Philippines, respectively. He will rejoin the Bandits at the conclusion of his international duties. 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 led nearly from start to finish, avenging an earlier loss with a 104-95 victory over the Ottawa BlackJacks. The teams met on Saturday night on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre, with the Bandits improving to 7-2 atop the Canadian Elite Basketball League's Western Conference. The BlackJacks fell to 4-5, dropping into a tie for third place in the Eastern Conference. “The way they beat us was pretty evident and obvious,” said Vancouver Bandits coach Kyle Julius of the earlier meeting on June 2. “So, I thought we did a great job – for the most part – correcting what hurt us, so that was nice to see.” “I think there was probably a little more urgency defensively,” he explained. The Bandits led for all but 29 seconds of the game, thanks in large part to a 30-point opening quarter. From there, however, the offence struggled to maintain the same rhythm. “Fatigue. We just didn’t have our rotation,” Julius said. “We were shorthanded, and I wasn’t really surprised with the ebb and flow and the dips we had. “Even D’Andre Davis – who is going to be a very good player for us – but if you look at his ankle, it’s still swollen, so he’s out there hobbling around.” The offence was powered by Jarkel Joiner, who had 37 points – a franchise record – seven assists and four rebounds. “The coaches had a great game plan, and we executed it,” Joiner said. “We locked in, we didn’t take the game for granted.” Joiner had a larger role in the game, especially with point guard and leading scorer Jaelen House sidelined. “Honestly, it’s hard without him. He makes the game so much easier with his quickness, how fast he is, how explosive he is, how he sees the game,” Joiner admitted. “But coach needed me to step up tonight, and (Duane Notice) helped with the point guard role, and everybody stepped up.” Miller Kopp added 15 points and eight rebounds, Mychal Mulder finished with 13 and Tyrese Samuel chipped in 10 points and eight boards. Dominic Parolin came off the bench to finish with a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds, giving Vancouver five scorers in double figures. Ottawa was led by Javonte Smart’s 29 points with Matthew Cleveland and Justin Harmon both adding 19. "They play hard. They have respect for the game and force you into a lot of contested shots, so for us, we have to continue to fight for great shots," said BlackJacks coach Justin Mazzulla. “We have to continue to play together and have our energy not be impacted by whether the ball goes in or not.”  Up next, the Bandits return to Envision Financial Court on June 15 to host the Eastern Conference-leading Scarborough Shooting Stars (7-1). Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
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