BANDITS LAND AT LANGLEY EVENTS CENTRE FOR 2022 CEBL SEASON
Bandits Staff • Sep 23, 2021
LANGLEY, B.C., September 23, 2021 – The Fraser Valley Bandits announced Thursday that the club has chosen Langley Events Centre (LEC) as its home for the upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season, which begins May 2022.
As the new home of professional basketball in B.C., LEC builds upon its history of showcasing the province’s best players by now featuring some of Canada’s premier pro athletes during the CEBL’s May-August season, as well as emerging amateur boys and girls who compete annually at the B.C. High School Basketball Championships hosted at LEC.
“Today is a special opportunity to celebrate and usher in a new chapter in British Columbia’s rich basketball history. The sport’s roots run deep in B.C., from the Okanagan to Vancouver Island, and especially here in the Fraser Valley,” said CEBL commissioner and CEO Mike Morreale.
“We have consistently seen this region produce some of the province’s leading U SPORTS athletes, as well as boys and girls that have gone on to represent Canada in the NBA, WNBA and in Olympic competition. The arrival of the Bandits at LEC cements the notion that Langley is the capital of basketball in B.C. through its status as the home of competitive youth basketball played across the venue’s multitude of courts, its hosting of provincial championships, U SPORTS and now one of the CEBL’s most exciting teams to watch in the Bandits.”
Fraser Valley completed the club’s third CEBL season at Championship Weekend in Edmonton this past August. The Bandits were one of the league’s top teams throughout the regular season, finishing the campaign with a 5-2 record at home, which was punctuated by a 104-84 quarterfinal playoff victory in front of a sold-out crowd at Abbotsford Centre on August 15.
“The Township of Langley is pleased to welcome the Fraser Valley Bandits to their new home court. Sports help us create healthy and successful communities. Having the CEBL at Langley Events Centre gives residents an exciting opportunity to see professional basketball close to home and can help inspire youth players to take up the sport,” said Jack Froese, Mayor of the Township of Langley.
Abbotsford Centre previously served as the team’s home since July 2018 when the Bandits were launched ahead of the CEBL’s inaugural 2019 season, which featured six teams in Abbotsford, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Guelph, Hamilton and St. Catharines. The successful inaugural campaign saw the Bandits finish among the league’s best in average attendance, which set a promising precedent ahead of the 2020 CEBL season.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, basketball took a backseat to life’s more pressing issues and the CEBL’s second season was delayed until July when the CEBL hosted the 2020 CEBL Summer Series. The condensed season saw the CEBL become the first Canadian professional sports league to return to play following the start of the pandemic. In conjunction with the CEBL’s multi-year partnership with CBC, the Bandits played in three nationally televised games. All regular season and postseason games were available for domestic and international audiences stemming from around the globe on CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca and Twitch.
This past season, CEBL+ was launched as the league’s very own OTT service designed to offer Canada and the globe’s fervent basketball fanbase live CEBL action and behind-the-scenes access to the league’s teams and stars.
Despite falling 84-82 in a riveting semifinal against Niagara at 2021 Championship Weekend, the Bandits have earned a reputation as one of the CEBL’s grittiest and personable teams on and off the court.
Thanks to an electric live game day experience featuring pyrotechnics, non-stop music and edge-of-your-seat highlights, further complimented by an engaging digital and social media brand presence, the Bandits have built one of the CEBL’s most engaged fanbases. The dedication of Bandits fans, who stem from across the Lower Mainland, was evident when the Bandits became the first professional sports team in B.C. to welcome fans back in stands on July 14, 2021. Through swift collaboration and communication with local health authorities, Fraser Valley gave fans a chance to cheer on their favourite club in accordance with a 50 per cent capacity guideline.
The sold-out affair saw 2,200 strong witness an emphatic 92-71 victory against the Guelph Nighthawks and set the tone for the Bandits to sellout all four of the home games hosted by the club with fans permitted to attend in 2021.
With its arrival at the state-of-the-art LEC, Fraser Valley will continue to give its dedicated fan base an impressive game day experience, while also capitalizing on the resources of the venue. LEC is also home to the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Vancouver Giants, the Langley Thunder, Trinity Western University’s U SPORTS competing teams, as well as Basketball BC headquarters and a variety of user groups, clubs and high school teams that frequent the venue on a weekly basis.
Deposits for full season ticket membership packages are now available and can be placed with a Fraser Valley representative by emailing tickets@thebandits.ca
or calling 604-866-0529. Fans interested in learning more about the Bandits’ variety of ticket packages can also fill out THIS form
to register their interest and be contacted directly by a team representative.
The CEBL’s fourth season is set to start in May 2022. 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.
“The Bandits are thrilled to continue our growth throughout the Fraser Valley by making our new home at Langley Events Centre,” said Bandits president Dylan Kular. “LEC has a storied basketball and sports history and is a leading entertainment venue that is renowned for its breadth of facilities and hospitality offerings. Bandits fans both new and old will be able to experience the elite game day product that they have come to know and love, as well as the benefits of a centrally located venue in the Lower Mainland that’s reputation is second to none.”
CEBL 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.
“We are always excited to add another tenant and even more games to what we already offer here at Langley Events Centre,” said Gary Ahuja, manager of corporate communications and media for LEC. “Having hosted various provincial basketball championships at LEC for more than a decade now, we know just how passionate the basketball community is both here in the Fraser Valley, across the Lower Mainland and throughout BC. We look forward to welcoming the Bandits, their great fan base and the CEBL to Langley Events Centre for the 2022 season and play our role in hosting such a fast-paced and exciting game.”
Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.
###
For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Savory, Vice President, (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 Bandits offer an 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 at Langley Events Centre (LEC). Head to thebandits.ca for more information.
LATEST NEWS
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 .
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-4 guard and former Winnipeg Sea Bear Glen Yang for its upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season at Langley Events Centre (LEC). Yang was born in Burnaby and moved to Hong Kong when he was five before moving back to Canada. He spent his high school and university years in Calgary, attending Sir Winston Churchill High School before starring at Mount Royal University from 2014-2019. “I can’t wait to get back to Vancouver and embrace the culture of the Bandits franchise. I was born in Burnaby, so to come back and play professional basketball is a full circle moment and a dream come true. I am excited to join the team and to get to work!” Yang said. Yang will report to Bandits’ training camp this May, which precedes Vancouver’s highly anticipated home opener 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 . 2024 will be Yang’s second season in the CEBL after starting all 20 games with the Sea Bears last year. He averaged six points, three assists and 2.6 rebounds per game over the course of 20 regular season games with the Sea Bears, who finished in a three-way tie for the second best record in the CEBL last year (12-8). Yang scored in double figures five times throughout the 2023 CEBL season; including a season-high 15 points versus Calgary on July 16 and Vancouver on July 23. His July 23rd scoring outburst was complemented by an all-around performance that saw Yang tally nine rebounds, five assists and three steals in nearly 35 minutes of action. “Glen is a proven winner who plays with toughness and a high IQ. I am really looking forward to working with Glen and having him enhance our culture,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. Yang is in the midst of his fourth season of professional basketball; spending two seasons in Spain before taking his talents to Asia where he has suited up with the Bay Area Dragons (2022-23) and the Kaohsiung Steelers (2023-24). During his time in the East Asia Super League, Yang helped the Bay Area Dragons advance to a Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup finals appearance in 2023. This past season in Taiwan with the Steelers, Yang played in 11 games and recorded season-highs in points (18), rebounds (7) and assists (6) in his first game with the club on Dec. 3, 2023. 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 Thursday that the club has signed Portland Trail Blazers and Rip City Remix experienced guard Taze Moore for the club’s upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season at Langley Events Centre (LEC). Taze Moore appeared in four games for the Trail Blazers this past 2023-24 NBA season, most recently suiting up in Portland’s regular season finale against the Sacramento Kings where he scored an NBA career-high 12 points, eight rebounds (four offensive) and four assists in 30 minutes of action. Prior to being called up to the NBA, Moore played 22 games for Portland’s G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix, where he averaged 15.6 points, 7.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game on 49.8 per cent shooting from field goal range over 22 games played. “I am excited to be part of the Vancouver Bandits family and to work relentlessly toward winning a CEBL championship,” Moore said. A native of Southaven, Miss., Moore becomes the second member of the Bandits to play in the NBA, joining MJ Walker who played for Vancouver last summer and suited up for the Phoenix Suns in 2021-22. When Vancouver tips off its highly anticipated home opener against Montréal on Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m. PT, Moore will cement himself as the latest addition to a growing list of players–19 in total once Moore takes the hardwood at LEC–that have played in at least one CEBL and NBA game. Tickets for the home opener and all regular season games are on sale now at this link . Moore turned pro in 2022 after playing five seasons of NCAA Division I basketball at the University of Houston (2021-22) and California State University, Bakersfield (2016-21). He averaged 10.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.1 minutes per game for a Houston Cougars squad that advanced to the Elite Eight at the 2022 March Madness tournament. To cap off his impressive collegiate career, Moore showcased his high-flying skillset by winning the 2022 NCAA slam dunk contest . In addition to his athleticism, Moore is a two-way player that impacts the game on both sides of the basketball. He was named to the All-American Athletic Conference (AAC) tournament team in 2022 and ranked in the conference’s top 10 leaders in the categories of assists, minutes played, defensive and offensive rating, offensive rebounds, steals, two-point field goal percentage and win shares. “We are all incredibly excited to work with Taze and for the Bandits to be a part of his development. He is one of the best athletes I have ever seen and his overall skillset and feel for the game is even better. We think he is the perfect addition to our already strong roster because he will also have the opportunity to be a leader and push us towards competitive greatness,” said Bandits’ head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. Prior to Portland, Moore also spent time as a member of the Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks’ NBA Summer League rosters in 2022 and 2023, respectively. 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 .
BECOME A BANDITS INSIDER
Stay up to date on the latest news, community events and exclusive opportunities by subscribing to our newsletter.
Footer Email only
CONTACT US
General - info@thebandits.ca or (604) 455-8881
Tickets - tickets@thebandits.ca
Community - community@thebandits.ca
Add your custom HTML here