Coach Kannemeyer’s 3 Keys vs. NRL - June 29
By Cassidy Kannemeyer • June 30, 2021
The battle of the undefeated kicks off Tuesday night in Abbotsford as part of a weeknight tilt between the Fraser Valley Bandits and a formidable opponent in the Niagara River Lions.
Here are my Keys to the Game:
Establish an Inside Presence:
Brandon Gilbeck will have to stay out of foul trouble in this one, despite his issues, the Bandits dominated the Rattlers with both their interior defence and interior scoring in the first game of the season.
The Bandits edged the Rattlers 46-26 in points in the paint, which proved to essentially be the difference in the final score. The River Lions also dominated their matchup against the Blackjacks by a similar margin, making them a strong opponent. Gilbeck and his backup Ryan Ejim, plus Shaquille Keith will need to win the glass battle against the River Lions’ frontline in order to allow the team’s guards to get out and score layups in transition and prevent second chance points.
In the half court, the Bandits will need to feed Gilbeck two or more chances per quarter, either through post ups but more likely through hard rolls to the rim. The Bandits ran a steady diet of “Spain” pick and rolls on Saturday and I expect them to feature that early in this one. The big man owns a soft touch and tremendous size and agility to maneuver around the bucket and presents a tremendous threat that can open up the entire offence for the Bandits.
Shutdown Niagara’s Kassius Robertson and Guillaume Boucard:
Kassius Robertson is one of the best shooters in the CEBL, shooting over 40 per cent from three throughout his career. The River Lions also possess arguably the league's best two-way guard in Guillaume Boucard. When I saw Boucard play live two seasons ago I was amazed by the former Carleton grad's ability to take away the opposing team's best perimeter threat while also being a top scoring option. Think Kawhi Leonard.
An ultra efficient scorer, Boucard impacts every facet of the game and will probably be assigned to stop either the Bandits' Malcolm Duvivier or Alex Campbell on Tuesday night. I would assume he’ll lock horns with Campbell and the Bandits would be smart to match Duvivier on Robertson as he may be the team's strongest athlete. Pure shooters such as Robertson would hate nothing more than to have an NFL linebacker shoving and pressuring him for 40 minutes; it could take away his rhythm and limit his open look opportunities. The Bandits matchup well with this dynamic duo and if these two matchups can essentially be a wash, the Bandits have other ways to expose the River Lions' defence.
Special Scenario Execution:
On Saturday the Bandits spun a coaches gem in terms of X’s and O’s. In a game that could be a one possession game in the fourth quarter, out of a timeout, after free throws, and the first offensive possession of every quarter will become critical scenarios. I’ve found in my coaching career that a big dunk or wide open three caused by one of these scenarios are
major momentum swings, similar to an uppercut in a heavyweight bout.
On Saturday the Bandits opened the third quarter with a “Spain” pick and roll that resulted in a Gilbeck traditional three point play. It was a tone setter for the remainder of the second half and clearly gave the rest of the Bandits the confidence to execute down the stretch.
If the Bandits can pull off all three of these game keys, an undefeated start is well within grasp.
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 .
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