FRASER VALLEY BANDITS SIGN KENNY MANIGAULT FOR 2021 CEBL SEASON
Bandits Staff • June 10, 2021
ABBOTSFORD, B.C., June 10, 2021 – The Fraser Valley Bandits
announced Thursday that the club has signed Kenneth ‘Kenny’ Manigault for the upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League
(CEBL) season.
A six-foot-five guard/forward from Charleston, S.C., Manigault brings a decorated resume built on the foundation of a tremendous college career that saw the talented swingman win National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division I men’s basketball player of the year in 2015 and lead the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) in scoring as a member of the Macau Black Bears in 2019-20.
Manigault’s professional career has taken him across the globe, with stops in Australia, Poland, Finland, Macau (China) and recently, Israel.
“I'm excited to join the Bandits family. This is a team that will give everything that it can for a full 40 minutes. I'm looking forward to being aggressive on both sides of the ball and inspiring our fans to follow the team and be part of something special that's growing on the west coast," Manigault said.
After playing 16 games for the Wichita State Shockers in 2009-10, Manigault transferred to USC Aiken and later to the University of Pikeville (UPIKE) in Kentucky. Over the course of two seasons (2013-2015) with the UPIKE Bears, Manigault emerged as a star. In his final season with the Bears, he averaged 19.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.4 steals per game. As a senior, Manigault ranked first in total steals and his scoring average ranked him 16th in the NAIA.
Prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus and the subsequent cancellation of the 2019-20 season, Manigault was a strong contender for ABL import MVP. In addition to averaging 26.2 points, Manigault stuffed the stat sheet with 8.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Due to the pandemic, no end of season awards were announced by the ABL; however, Manigault’s stellar play caught the attention of Bandits general manager Kyle Julius, who coached against Manigault as the bench boss for the Formosa Dreamers (now members of the P. LEAGUE+).
“Kenny is a special player. Coaching versus Kenny in the ABL was quite the task. He is an ultra versatile player who also plays with toughness and an edge. Kenny fits our style perfectly and I can't wait to see him in a Bandits jersey battling in the CEBL,” Julius said.
“Kenny Manigault was one of the best players on our team and showed great leadership on and off the court. He will bring his talent and commitment to winning to any team,” added Lukas Peng, general manager of the Macau Black Bears.
The Bandits open the 2021 season at Abbotsford Centre when the club welcomes the Saskatchewan Rattlers for Fraser Valley’s home opener on Saturday, June 26. All regular season games will be live streamed on the free CBC Gem streaming service, cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices and on a new OTT streaming platform that the CEBL will unveil this spring.
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 80 percent of its 2020 rosters being Canadians. Players come from the NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian national team program, and top NCAA and U SPORTS programs. More information about the Bandits is available at thebandits.ca.
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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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