Coach Kannemeyer’s 3 Keys vs. HHB - July 23
By: Cassidy Kannemeyer • July 23, 2021
Here are Coach Kannemeyer's 3 Keys to the Game:
So far this season the Fraser Valley Bandits are 5-0 at home and winless in two games on the road. At home the Bandits play with better ball movement on the offensive end thanks to the off-ball activity of its athletic guards and forwards. Very rarely are any of Fraser Valley’s perimeter players standing still as the ball zips from side-to-side creating great shots instead of good shots.
Clearly the roster plays with more unselfishness at home and because more guys get involved offensively their defensive energy dramatically increases. The Bandits travel to Hamilton to face the Honey Badgers who have won four of five at home. On the road the Bandits haven’t shared the ball with the same effectiveness, opting for an isolated brand of basketball that calls for a lot of one-on-one play. The Bandits are at their best when the opposing team can’t focus on one offensive threat. Sharing the ball allows for several players to carry the load during different points in the game. If the Bandits can focus their attention offensively on side-to-side ball movement, inside-out dribble penetration and kicking to open teammates, the game should be close down the stretch and should allow for the Bandits to have a shot at winning their first road game this season.
Shut Down Lindell Wigginton
The Fraser Valley Bandits are one of the most balanced offensive teams in the CEBL. The Hamilton Honey Badgers through nine games have only two players averaging double figures in scoring. Meanwhile, the Bandits have seven. Lindell Wigginton is the head of the Honey Badgers’ attack. Like the Guelph Nighthawks led by Cat Barber, if the Bandits can shut down the one man scoring show it will force Hamilton’s role players to step up offensively. Wigginton is one of the league's brightest combo guards with the ability to be a three-level scorer. He has shown a tremendous ability to get to the free throw line. The Bandits would be wise to shut down all of Wigginton’s driving lanes in order to force the ball out of his hands. In pick and roll scenarios the Bandits should occasionally double team for the same effect. Seven footer Brandon Gilbeck would be the only defender that I would not want to double twenty five feet from the basket as he has been prone to foul trouble in the two road losses this season. In the Honey Badgers' worst loss of the season versus the Edmonton Stingers, Wigginton was harassed every time he touched the ball. Two defenders often stayed with him on pick and rolls. Alex Campbell, Kenny Manigault, and Malcolm Duvivier can all guard the ball effectively and will no doubt have the assignment of shutting down one of the best guards in the CEBL.
Zone or Man?
The Hamilton Honey Badgers play more zone than anyone in the CEBL so far this season. Make or miss the team drops back into a two-three zone on a high percentage of their defensive sequences. I suspect part of the reason for this is to hide their lack of an interior presence. Khalif Young and Jean-Victor Mukama at both six-foot-nine and six-foot-eight, respectively, are the linchpins in one of the smallest frontlines in the league. Their zone is essentially deployed to keep both of those big men out of foul trouble and crowd the paint to limit offensive paint touches. In their worst loss of the season versus the Edmonton Stingers, they were repeatedly gashed inside by high-low feeds versus their zone. If they deploy the zone versus the Bandits I expect the team to put a playmaker in the high post like Shaquille Keith or Kenny Manigault with Brandon Gilbeck and Ryan Ejim roaming the baseline for easy buckets. Fraser Valley’s shooting prowess could also expose the Honey Badgers’ zone but based on how the team has shot on the road, high-low basketball is the best way to expose Hamilton’s lack of front court rim protection.
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Vancouver emerged victorious over Montréal in a battle between the best of both conferences on Saturday (June 14) at Langley Events Centre. The Bandits stormed back from a 20-point deficit in the first half to earn their third straight victory. A timely 15-0 run in the fourth quarter propelled the Bandits to the comeback, featuring clutch shooting from Curtis Hollis, along with inside finishing from Mitch Creek and Shamar Givance. Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said certain possessions in the third quarter set the tone for the comeback. “We just kept talking about chipping away and we talked a lot about the power of one possession and how it can change a game,” Julius said. Creek paced the Bandits’ attack with a game-high 30 points to go along with seven rebounds. Hollis added 18 points, including the game-winner. “I knew we had to get one more bucket. I knew the guys were helping off me all game, which I really don't know why, but I saw he helped off me, and Shamar made a great pass and I just had to make a shot,” Hollis said. James Karnik and Corey Davis Jr. also made their season debuts for Vancouver, adding nine points each. Julius said incorporating new faces mid-season can be a challenge. “The chemistry of a locker room is fragile. You build your offence around a particular group, you build your defense around a particular group, and when certain pieces change, it can affect your scheme. And so, yeah, you have to tweak things all week,” Julius said. Meanwhile, Montréal guard Tavian Dunn-Martin proved difficult to stop despite second-half struggles as a team. He netted 20 points with four threes on eight-of-13 shooting overall. “We settled for too many threes [in the second half]. We didn't attack the basket … didn't get to the line. Then they got out in transition and made shots, and we didn't,” Dunn-Martin said. Montréal seized control early on, shooting 70 per cent from the field in the first quarter and forcing the Bandits into catch-up mode. Alliance head coach Jermaine Small said his squad was outrebounded in the second half but expects to get better from the loss. “You have to understand that you've got to play a 40-minute game. We got off to a really good start [and] obviously we tapered off a little bit. But it's just a good lesson … basketball is a long game, so I'm not worried about it,” Small said. Montréal began the game on a 14-4 run that culminated in back-to-back threes from Anthony Walker and Quincy Guerrier. Creek showed off his rebounding ability on the offensive glass, keeping the Bandits in the contest with three putbacks. However, the Alliance offence was on fire in the opening 10 minutes. Montréal closed the quarter on a 13-3 run, highlighted by a pair of Michael Diggins Jr. slams and a deep trifecta from Dunn-Martin, to take a 32-15 lead into the second. Guerrier connected on a free throw and a spin layup to extend Montréal’s lead to 20 early in the second before Vancouver went on a quick run fueled by transition finishes to narrow the gap. However, the Alliance stayed hot with another deep triple from Dunn-Martin and a corner three from former Bandit Malcolm Duvivier. The red-hot Montréal offence cooled off to end the half and Vancouver took advantage, closing the deficit to single digits by halftime at 48-41 with a 9-2 run. The third quarter turned into a defensive battle, with neither team scoring more than 15 points. The Bandits fought back to tie the game for the first time since the opening tip, powered by an 11-2 run in which the Alliance didn’t connect on a field goal. However, long-range shooting put Montréal back in front with back-to-back threes from Guerrier and Dunn-Martin. The Alliance carried a 62-56 advantage into the fourth quarter. Dunn-Martin continued to showcase his range with another deep three early in the fourth to bring the Alliance lead back to double-digits. But the Bandits demonstrated their resilience with a massive 15-0 run that put the home squad in front for the first time all game. Alain Louis made some clutch trifectas ahead of the final stretch, but a Creek and-one put Vancouver ahead 80-77 with an 89-point Target Score. After Guerrier kicked off scoring in Target Score Time with a transition slam, Davis Jr. buried a three, Creek got the hoop and the harm, and Givance scored in transition to put Vancouver one point away from victory. Hollis connected on a catch-and-shoot from the wing to complete the comeback and improve the Bandits’ record to 8-1. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600585
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Montreal Alliance on June 14th, 2025.
The Vancouver Bandits have announced today the following roster updates in advance of its Saturday, June 14 game at home against the Montréal Alliance at 7:00 p.m. PT: G Corey Davis Jr. has been added to Club's active roster and will be available for tonight's game. F James Karnik has been removed the the Club's Suspended List and added to Club's active roster and will be available for tonight's game. F Tyrese Samuel has been placed on the Club's Suspended List in order for him to participate in potential NBA team workouts and Summer League opportunities; he will return to the club at the conclusion of his commitments. G Izaiah Brockington has been placed on the Club's Suspended List in order for him to participate in potential NBA team workouts and Summer League opportunities; he will return to the club at the conclusion of his commitments. G Tristan Jass (lower body) is ruled out for today's game.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6’1” American guard Corey Davis Jr. No stranger to the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), Davis Jr. was a member of the Calgary Surge during the 2024 season where he set the league record for most assists in a single season with 126 helpers. Appearing and starting in 19 regular season games and three playoff games, he averaged 13.4 points, 6.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals through 33.1 minutes played. He finished the season with three consecutive, 20+ point performances in the postseason, leading the Surge from the Play-In round to the CEBL Western Conference Final. Davis Jr. most recently played professionally with Vanoli Cremona, the highest-tier level of Italy’s basketball league system, where he appeared in 30 games and averaged 13.6 points, 5.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 29.8 minutes of action per game during the 2024-25 season. His pro career also includes stops in Spain, Montenegro, France, Turkey and a stint with the Washington Wizards during the 2019 NBA Summer League. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be back in the CEBL and can’t wait to get started with the Bandits. I’m looking forward to working with coach Kyle and the team, and building on the success that the Bandits have had so far this season,” said Davis Jr. A member of the University of Houston’s men’s basketball team for two seasons from 2017 to 2019, Davis Jr. was a unanimous First Team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2019. Davis Jr. also helped the Cougars advance to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the 2019 Sweet 16. Davis Jr. will be on the active roster for the Vancouver Bandits game Saturday evening at home when the club hosts the visiting Montréal Alliance at Langley Events Centre. In a corresponding move, the club has placed guard Izaiah Brockington on its Suspended List in order to accommodate Davis Jr.'s addition while adhering to CEBL roster rules, which limit clubs to four Import players on active rosters.
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Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Montreal Alliance on June 14th, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Saskatchewan Rattlers on June 8th, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Ottawa BlackJacks on June 6th, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on June 1st, 2025.