How the Bandits season-opening win is a stepping stone toward exorcising last season's demons
By Contributing Bandits Writer: Grant Vassos • July 28, 2020
In the final moments of a season opener that appeared all but wrapped up for the Fraser Valley Bandits, it all came down to one last point. What was once a 22-point lead at the start of the Elam Ending quickly evaporated to just a 10 point lead within minutes. On the sidelines, head coach Kyle Julius continued to preach calmness to his players.
“Execute, execute,” he said during a stoppage of play in the game’s closing moments.
A slight misjudgment during the dying minutes of the fourth quarter gave the Edmonton Stingers an opening to come back after Julius opted to take a whistle by fouling. With the time remaining, a pause would force the game into the Elam Ending and give the Bandits a chance to close out the win. Upon reflection, however, the strategy was a mistake.
“When you have such a big lead, there’s no point in letting them score on another possession. So, we tried to foul, and then I didn’t know the next foul was a bonus situation (for the Stingers),” Julius said.
“And then our guys relaxed in Elam, they totally let up. It was good, it was good teaching. It’s nice when you can go through a teaching moment and win at the same time because most of the teaching occurs when you lose.”
The call was out-of-bounds against the Stingers and Bandits guard Marek Klassen was responsible for inbounding the ball to set up a potential game-winner. The pass was inbounded right to a wide-open Jahenns Manigat outside the arc. Standing in front of an onlooking Bandits bench, Manigat quickly glanced down at the floor, composing himself, before sinking a dagger three-point shot to seal the 113-100 victory.
“He didn’t play in the fourth quarter because that group was playing quite well, so I was saving him for the Elam,” Julius said on Manigat’s 16-point performance. “And then he comes in the Elam and then coincidentally he makes the last shot. I can’t say enough about Jahenns, to be honest.”
The celebration remained brief – a few fist pumps from Manigat and an emphatic yell from Cameron Forte after everyone had cleared the court. More importantly, the win marked the official transition into a new era of Bandits basketball, one which is fueled by defence, shooting, and an unrelenting motor to compete.
“My dad kind of raised me on the game that way. I coached that way. All of our teams, we try and find that switch, that toughness switch,” Julius said. “I want to be able to rely on that, not shooting and other things.”
As if coming into a new season with a completely restructured roster and coaching staff after finishing the previous season with a 4-16 record wasn’t enough motivation for the Bandits, it was the noise from people outside the locker room, which caught Julius’ attention.
The team he handpicked was too small, prone to mismatches, and was pegged by everyone to finish last or second-last coming into the CEBL Summer Series. All of it served as motivation.
“I always took offense to that because I watched the CEBL last year. I didn’t see any really big teams or anything like that, so I was confused, and then I started to take it personally, and it became a chip on our shoulder,” Julius said.
Julius expected nothing less but maximum effort from his players against the Stingers and execute they did. Forte led the team with a game-high 28 points, using his assertive 6-foot-7 frame to grab offensive rebounds and work against defenders in the paint. Kyle Johnson, who put up 19 points, set the pace from the start after sprinting for a loose ball on the opening tip-off and laying up a smooth finger roll to take the lead, one the Bandits never looked back on.
“We’ve got a bunch of hungry dogs on our team that are going to compete. We’re never going to give up,” Johnson said. “And even though camp has been short, we’ve been getting after it, man. We’re really ready for this and hungry for this.”
Marek Klassen remains the only player on the current roster from that 2019 Fraser Valley team, which finished its inaugural season on a six-game losing streak and posted the worst record in the league.
For every team that year – nonetheless, an entire league – it was a feeling-out process of figuring out how the season would play out. Klassen never felt stressed about the lack of results on the court. In their final appearance of the season, they lost 95-85 to the eventual second-place Stingers. They were a team that couldn’t seem to close-out games when they mattered, many of them going into overtime.
“As a professional, you gotta take it one day at a time. I wasn’t there for the full season, neither were the rest of our guys,” Klassen said.
“So coming back here, it’s a lot of pride playing for my home city, and I think that we’ve instilled that same thing within this group. And the unfinished business sort of thing is here, so every team is circled on our schedule. We’re ready.”
With their previous loss against the Stingers avenged, the Bandits now set their sights on July 28 against the defending champion Saskatchewan Rattlers, who also won their season-opener against the Niagara River Lions in impressive fashion. Julius tempered expectations by saying how he believes no team will go undefeated this summer. Unbeaten or not, one thing has been made clear: these are not the same Bandits from before.
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Vancouver Bandits guard David Mutabazi has been called up to Rwanda’s men’s national team for the upcoming 2025 FIBA AfroBasket tournament. The 6-foot-5 guard and current student-athlete with Trinity Western University was selected 30th overall by the Bandits in the 2025 CEBL Draft. As a Development Player, Mutabazi appeared in nine games during the 2025 season, including three starts, averaging 1.4 points, 0.9 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 11.6 minutes played. The team will begin group play on Wednesday, August 13 against Ivory Coast, with tip-off set for 8 a.m. PT. Rwanda will then take on DR Congo on August 15, and Cape Verde on August 17. The knockout stage begins on August 18 and the final is set for August 24. Games will be played in Mocamedes and Luanda, Angola Born in Kirinda, Rwanda before moving to Canada at a young age, this marks Mutabazi’s first-ever international call up. Mutabazi will be placed on the Bandits’ Suspended List for the remainder of the 2025 season, in order for him to participate at AfroBasket while also retaining his CEBL rights.
The Vancouver Bandits are set to close out the 2025 CEBL regular season with a bang. As part of Fan Appreciation Night on Saturday, August 3rd, Bandits guard and social media sensation Tristan Jass returns to Langley Events Centre for the Tristan Jass $10,000 Halfcourt Shootout . Four lucky fans in attendance will be randomly selected to participate in the competition at halftime against Jass. The last shooter standing takes home $10,000. Event Format: Four fans are drawn from the crowd in the first half. At halftime, each fan takes a shot from halfcourt, followed by Tristan Jass to end the round. If no one scores, they go again. If one person hits, they win the cash. If multiple fans hit, only those who made it advance to the next round. Repeat until one winner remains. Entry Rules: Must be in attendance and hold a valid ticket. If your seat is drawn, you can shoot or nominate someone from your ticket group. All participants must sign a media release waiver before participating. The Bandits, who clinched a playoff berth on July 13 , host the Winnipeg Sea Bears in a tight race for playoff positioning. Fans can expect a sellout crowd with post-season implications on the line, marking one of the most crucial matchups of the season. The Tristan Jass $10,000 Halfcourt Shootout is one of the many additions to what is shaping up to be the Bandits’ most electric night of the year. Pre-game activities begin with the Bandits Backyard BBQ starting at 3 p.m. outside Langley Events Centre , featuring $1 hot dogs, live music, an inflatable kids play area, a sign making station and a beer garden for fans 19 and over. Tip-off takes place at 5 p.m. and single game tickets are available for purchase by following this link . Jass, who appeared in two preseason games for the Bandits on May 8 and 10 respectively, has been placed on the Bandits’ Suspended List since July 1, 2025 as a result of the CEBL’s Import player limitations, restricting clubs to a maximum of four Import (non-Canadian) players on an Active Roster at a time. His “ YouTuber to Pro Hooper ” web series, documenting his day-to-day experience playing with the club, has garnered over 1.2 million views on YouTube. ### For Vancouver Bandits media inquiries, please contact: Senior Manager, Brand & Communications, Justin Sulpico, media@thebandits.ca , 604-626-8513 About Vancouver Bandits The Vancouver 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).  About the CEBL: A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ , TSN, TSN+, RDS , Game+ and Next Level Sports & Entertainment . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
A few friendly bounces at the rim made all the difference for the Calgary Surge in a tense battle against rival Vancouver on Friday night (July 25). With the game on the line in Target Score Time at WinSport Events Centre, Calgary guard Evan Gilyard Jr. launched a deep three that rattled in after a few tense moments. It was Gilyard’s first triple of the game, but it lifted the Surge past the Bandits 98-96. The Surge have now swept the regular season series against the top-ranked Bandits, with both teams already locked into playoff spots in the Western Conference. The intensity of Friday’s contest mimicked a postseason showdown. Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said the group executed the game plan on both ends of the floor with togetherness and championship poise. “We felt we had a great week of practice. We knew this was a heavyweight fight. We have a lot of respect for that team but I love our team and I love our squad and I love where we’re at,” Canales said. Both teams saw the return of NBA Summer League talent, with Vancouver’s Tyrese Samuel and Calgary’s Jameer Nelson Jr. making an impact after their time in Las Vegas. Nelson Jr. netted 21 points, including 15 in the first half, while tallying six rebounds, six assists and four steals. “[Jameer] was playing both ends at an … elite level. We absolutely love him and he was making plays when it was time to make plays,” Canales said. Sean Miller-Moore and Greg Brown III also had standout performances in the win. Miller-Moore dropped a game-high 27 points and hauled in eight rebounds, while Brown III notched a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double. Meanwhile, Samuel finished with a team-high 26 points for Vancouver on 12-15 shooting. He said he could’ve done better on the boards, but was happy with his return to the lineup overall. “It feels good to be back out there with the guys. Obviously, today wasn't the result we wanted but we're just gonna go back to the drawing board and just be ready for the playoffs,” Samuel said. Aussie big man Mitch Creek was also a force in the frontcourt with 25 points and 13 rebounds in the loss, while Kyle Mangas added 12 off the bench in his second game back from NBA Summer League. After three consecutive games with at least 15 threes, the Bandits cooled down on Friday with eight from long range at a 29 per cent clip. Calgary also capitalized on 18 Vancouver turnovers with 25 points. “Some turnovers and giving them some easy offensive rebounds I think was part of the problem for sure,” Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said. The range of talent for both squads was on full display in the early stages of the game. The Bandits and Surge each started hot before the pace slowed. A catch-and-shoot triple from Corey Davis Jr. gave the Bandits their first lead at 16-14, and they stayed ahead 25-22 after 10 minutes. Vancouver extended its lead to nine in the second quarter following inside finishes from Creek, Zach Copeland, Samuel and a three from Davis Jr. However, Nelson Jr. willed the Surge back into the game with 11 points in the quarter. He showed off his complete game as well, stealing the rock on defence before dishing to Brown III in transition for a massive slam. After trailing for the entire second quarter, Calgary tied it up heading into the locker room with a buzzer-beating putback from Javonté Brown. Miller-Moore regained the lead for the Surge to kick off the third quarter with a transition dunk. Calgary locked in defensively for the remainder of the frame, limiting the high-powered Bandits' offence to just 18 points. Brown III added to his highlight reel late in the quarter, spinning for a left-handed dunk on Kur Jongkuch that put him on the free throw line as well. Down four points entering the final quarter, Creek and Samuel went to work inside for Vancouver. The frontcourt duo combined for 17 points before Target Score Time to knot the game at 87, but Brown III finished a putback to give Calgary a two-point advantage heading into the final stretch. The bigs continued to duel in Target Score Time, with Samuel opening the scoring before Brown III showed his versatility, connecting on back-to-back threes and rejecting Creek on the other end. Calgary missed multiple shots for the win, and Samuel added another layup before fouling out. A putback from Creek vaulted Vancouver back in front at 96-95, putting both teams a bucket away from victory. On the following possession, Gilyard did his best Kawhi Leonard impression to win the game with a deep three that needed multiple bounces before dropping. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600650
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on July 25, 2025.
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Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on July 25, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Edmonton Stingers on July 20th, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Saskatchewan Rattlers on July 18th, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on June 22, 2025.