GRITTY EFFORT FROM BANDITS FALLS SHORT IN HEARTBREAKING SEMIFINAL LOSS TO RIVER LIONS
CEBL Staff • August 21, 2021
ABBOTSFORD, B.C., August 20, 2021 – He missed a layup and a game-winning three-pointer, but Niagara River Lions guard Phil Scrubb found redemption. The pride of Richmond, BC hit a wide open triple to give Niagara a 84-82 win over the Fraser Valley Bandits, and with the victory, the first CEBL championship appearance for the team.
Fresh from the NBA Summer League, River Lions forward Javin DeLaurier picked up right where he left his CEBL club, leading all scorers with 20 points and earning the double-double by also grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds.
After losing in the 2019 semifinals and falling out of the 2020 CEBL Summer Series in the quarterfinals, the River Lions finally reach the title game, but it was not easy for Niagara Head Coach Vic Raso and his squad.
"That's a tough, tough basketball team (Fraser Valley) and they don't quit,” said Raso after the game. “So we got ahead early, and they fought back. There's just a feeling down there that it was going to be like, we weren't gonna be able to pull away and we're gonna have to win in the end. And, you know, luckily enough we did."
Niagara led by as many as 14 points in the first quarter and took a 23-13 advantage to start the second frame. The Bandits tied the CEBL record for futility in the first quarter (13, Hamilton vs. Fraser Valley, August 8, 2020). DeLaurier scored eight points in the opening frame. A Scrubb three-pointer at 6:03 of the opening quarter gave Niagara an early 12-2 lead and forced interim Bandits head coach Tanner Massey to use his first time out. Both teams struggled to score as the game began, with five turnovers in the first three minutes. The teams played a much cleaner game the rest of the way (10-9, Fraser Valley).
Niagara led the entire first half, thanks in part to their effort getting into the paint. The River Lions got to the line 16 times (13-16), compared to only six free throw attempts by the Bandits heading into the break.
However, Fraser Valley kept the pressure on Niagara in the second half and even took a brief lead 49-48. The Bandits had a chance to win the game but couldn’t convert, despite grinding out the final frame. They dominated the boards 55-41, including a CEBL playoff record 22 on the offensive glass. CEBL Defensive Player of the Year Brandon Gilbeck grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds to go along with nine points. Teammate Alex Campbell led all Bandits with 19 points.
"Our guys have displayed resiliency all year with everything that's going on,” expressed Bandits Head Coach Tanner Massey. And for them to come back and push this thing to the limit, like they did, really shows a lot about their character. We’ve got some great men in that room, who are not only going to take a lot out of this game and apply it to their next basketball job, but they're gonna apply it to life. There was a lot that was learned in that locker room all season long, and credit for those guys."
Niagara led 75-71 heading into the Elam Ending, producing a target score of 84 points.
A missed layup by Scrubb with Niagara leading 81-78 was rebounded by Shaquille Keith, which was followed by a thunderous dunk from Gilbeck who proceeded to give a two-handed block on Daniel Mullings on the next play. It was that type of aggressive play that got Fraser Valley within one shot rom going to the finals for a second straight year. However, Niagara, the favourites heading into the game, simply made one more shot than the Bandits. It was another triple from Scrubb, who finished with 16 points, including four-for-10 from beyond the arc.
"We knew it was going to be tough, especially since we haven't been together much as a team,” said Scrubb. “But it's a good test to go through this in the semifinals, because the finals are going to be a tough game regardless. We're excited. I think it's going to be a good game, whoever we get."
Championship Weekend Schedule
Semifinals: Friday, August 20, 2021
(2) Niagara River Lions 84, (4) Fraser Valley 82
No. 1 Edmonton Stingers vs. No. 6 Ottawa BlackJacks (9:30 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. MT)
Championship Game: Sunday, August 22, 2021
Niagara River Lions vs. Semifinal Winner 2 (4 p.m. ET, 2 p.m. MT)
All CEBL games are available for live streaming on the CEBL’s new OTT streaming service, CEBL+, cbcsports.ca, the free CBC Gem streaming service, the CBC Sports App for iOS and android devices, and on Twitch.
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. 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. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.
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Seven players who have previously suited up for the Vancouver Bandits, including five from the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season, have been named to NBA G League training camp rosters ahead of the start of the 2026-27 season on November 6, 2026. The NBA G League serves as the NBA’s official minor league and features 31 teams, with 30 clubs having one-to-one affiliations with NBA franchises. Surrey, B.C.’s James Karnik will join the Portland Trail Blazers’ affiliate, Rip City Remix. Karnik has participated in 36 regular season games across four seasons dating back to 2022, including four games in 2026. This marks the first time that he has been named to an NBA G League training camp squad. Jaelen House, a former NBA G League All-Star who played in 10 games for the Bandits during the 2026 season, will be competing for a roster spot on the Utah Jazz’s affiliate, Salt Lake City Stars. He set the Bandits’ single-game scoring record, recording 42 points against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on June 18, 2026. The Charlotte Hornets’ affiliate and defending NBA G League champion, Greensboro Swarm, will feature Jarkel Joiner. Joiner played 21 games for the Bandits in 2026, leading the team in points per game (17.8), before being named to the Hornets’ training camp roster and logging minutes in four NBA preseason games. Joining Joiner on the Swarm is Kyle Mangas, who appeared in 16 games with 14 starts for the Bandits during the 2025 season. John Knight III, who logged 18 games for the Bandits in 2026, joins the Houston Rockets’ affiliate, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, a club he has played for since 2023. D’Andre Davis, who appeared in three games for the Bandits in 2026, looks to secure a roster spot with the Boston Celtics’ affiliate, Maine Celtics. A member of the 2023 Bandits roster, Georgian-born forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili will take the court with the Atlanta Hawks’ affiliate, College Park Skyhawks. The opening night rosters for all 32 NBA G League teams must be submitted by Sunday, November 5.
Former Vancouver Bandits forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Atlanta Hawks. The news was announced by the Hawks via social media on Wednesday. Introduced in the NBA’s 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year deals. They can include a potential bonus if the player spends time with the team’s G League affiliate.
HAIDA GWAII, BC - October 6, 2026 - This past weekend, Vancouver Bandits, BC’s professional basketball team, and the Bandits Community Foundation hosted a series of youth basketball clinics on Haida Gwaii, continuing its ongoing series of community visits across the province in partnership with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I∙SPARC). The community visits and youth camps on Haida Gwaii were also made possible through the generous support of Langara Island Lodge and Skidegate Band Council. Led by Bandits Team President Dylan Kular and Community Manager Pavan Kalair, local youth athletes aged 10 to 17 from across Haida Gwaii participated in free-of-charge workshops and basketball camps, furthering the Bandits Community Foundation’s goal of bringing more basketball to more people across the province. "Haida Gwaii has an incredible passion for basketball, and it was an honour for our staff to spend time on the court with so many talented young athletes," said Vancouver Bandits Team President Dylan Kular. "Our partnership with I·SPARC through the Indigenous Basketball Collective is about building lasting relationships with communities across the province and making sure every young player has access to the game. We are grateful to Langara Island Lodge, the Skidegate Band Council and everyone in Old Massett, Masset and Skidegate who welcomed us, and we cannot wait to come back." “Programs like this show what is possible when partners come together for Indigenous youth,” said I·SPARC’s Chief Executive Officer Rick Brant. “We are proud to work with the Vancouver Bandits to bring high-quality basketball coaching to Haida Gwaii, where the game is so deeply loved." Bandits staff led PHE classes with students at Chief Matthews School in Old Massett, and ran skill development clinics for local youth athletes aged 13 to 17 across three communities at Kwiiyaans Community Hall (Old Massett), Daaxiigan Sk’adáa Née School (Masset) and George Brown Recreation Centre (Skidegate). “We are grateful for the opportunity for the Vancouver Bandits and I·SPARC to come in and work with our youth,” said Trevor Russ, head coach of the Old Massett Raiders boys basketball team. “Basketball plays a big role for our youth in Masset, and the Bandits coming to town provides an opportunity for them to work with some high-level coaches at the professional level. Our youth are very happy to have this opportunity.” “To be able to have the Vancouver Bandits come to Skidegate and Haida Gwaii is very important,” said Desi Collinson, Recreation Coordinator and elected representative to the Council of the Haida Nation. “Basketball means a lot to Haida Gwaii; it brings excitement, hope and inspiration to our communities. Organizations like the Bandits and I·SPARC give us different insights and outlooks that our young athletes have not experienced before, and we are happy to have them here to uplift our youth.” The camps are part of the Indigenous Basketball Collective, representing the ongoing collaboration between I∙SPARC and the Vancouver Bandits. Established in 2023, previous community visits hosted through the Collective since its inception include Ahousaht, Bella Coola (Nuxalk First Nation), Kitimat (Haisla Nation), Nanaimo (Snuneymuxw First Nation), Victoria, West Vancouver and Williams Lake with future youth camps and coaching seminars currently being planned for 2027.
This weekend, youth across Haida Gwaii will have the opportunity to learn and sharpen their basketball skills from British Columbia’s professional basketball team. Through the generous support of the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I∙SPARC) and Langara Island Lodge, the Vancouver Bandits and Bandits Community Foundation will be hosting free-of-charge youth basketball camps across Haida Gwaii, marking the organization’s first community visit to the North Coast region. “Haida Gwaii means a great deal to us, and we know how much basketball means to these communities. The game gives young people a place to grow, brings families together, and creates opportunities for teams to proudly represent where they come from,” said Yos Gladstone, Sales Coordinator, Langara Island Lodge. “The young players, coaches, families, and teams here deserve every opportunity we can help bring their way. We are grateful to the Vancouver Bandits, I∙SPARC and the Bandits Community Foundation for their commitment to make this program happen, and especially to those in Haida Gwaii who give so much of their time, energy, and efforts to basketball year-round.” “For us, supporting this program is personal. We care about the communities and the people who make them so special. If this visit from the Vancouver Bandits gives local players more time on the court, encouragement to keep going, and a chance to connect through the game, that is something we are proud to be part of.” The camps are hosted in collaboration with I∙SPARC, Bandits Community Foundation, Haida Gwaii Recreation and School District 50 Haida Gwaii. Across three days, over 200 youth athletes aged 10 to 17 and their families will gather in gymnasiums across Haida Gwaii for camps and workshops led by Bandits and Bandits Community Foundation staff members. Youth participants will also receive complimentary Vancouver Bandits merchandise. "Haida Gwaii holds a legendary place in this province and Indigenous basketball culture and being on the ground in Masset and Skidegate truly showcases how powerful this sport is," said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. "The competitive drive and skill level of these youth are incredible, but what is even more inspiring is how basketball acts as a heartbeat for the entire region. Seeing the immediate connection between the youth, the coaching staff, and the local fans highlights exactly why we wanted to bring the Bandits to Haida Gwaii.” “We want to extend our deepest thanks to the Haida Nation and our partners at I∙SPARC and Langara Island Lodge for hosting us and sharing their incredible hospitality. This visit marks an exciting milestone for our organization, and we look forward to building on this relationship for years to come." The camp schedule for this weekend is as follows: Friday, October 2 Kwiiyaans Community Hall, Old Massett 12:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Daaxiigan Sk’adáa Née School, Masset 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, October 3 George Brown Recreation Centre, Skidegate 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, October 4 George Brown Recreation Centre, Skidegate 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The forthcoming camps are part of the Indigenous Basketball Collective, representing the ongoing collaboration between I∙SPARC and the Vancouver Bandits, and build upon recent previous community visits to Williams Lake and Bella Coola earlier this year. Established in 2023, ongoing and past projects through the Collective include camps and clinics for Indigenous youth and coaches, building new basketball courts in Indigenous communities, and hosting the 2026 Junior All Native Basketball Tournament.
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