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.
LATEST NEWS
Tomorrow's Canadian Elite Basketball League game in Vancouver between the Winnipeg Sea Bears and the Vancouver Bandits has been moved from 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET to 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET due to travel disruptions. All tickets for the game remain valid. For any further ticketing issues or inquiries, please contact tickets@thebandits.ca.
A season-high 25 points from Shamar Givance wasn’t enough as the Vancouver Bandits came up short in the final road game of the season. The Montreal Alliance defeated the Bandits 87-82 on Tuesday night, a game where three Bandits recorded their highest point totals of the season. Along with his 25 points, Givance also added eight rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes of action. “He was the definition of a warrior tonight,” said Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong. Givance, who came off the bench, took a bulk of the guard minutes after leading scorer Jarkel Joiner exited the game in the first half. “He picked up 94 feet and he went over every screen. It’s commendable. That’s why we brought Shamar here for the effort he gives,” said Brempong. Stephen Zimmerman in just his second game with Vancouver recorded 13 points and six rebounds. Jarrell Eddie scored a season-high 17 points and notched his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. “Certain guys were thrust into positions they’re not normally in and that’s growth,” said Brempong. Both teams struggled offensively, particularly outside the paint, but what they lacked in offence was made up by their defence. The Bandits shot 9-33 from beyond the arc, and the Alliance cashed in on just 11 of the 32 three point opportunities. The Bandits recorded seven blocks and six steals, while the Alliance recorded four blocks and six steals. Montreal native Tyrese Samuel recorded 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. He played just 22 minutes after picking up two early fouls in the first quarter. No Canadian player has scored more points than Tyrese Samuel’s 358 points this season. Neither team separated themselves as the game stayed close for all four quarters. The largest lead of the game was eight, which belonged to Montreal. Vancouver exploded in the third quarter and outscored Montreal 27-17, yet their scoring wouldn’t translate to the fourth quarter. The Bandits offence lacked consistency all night, scoring just 16 points in the final frame. Quincy Guerrier led the Alliance with 26 points and seven rebounds. The Bandits will head home for the final game of the regular season against the Winnipeg Sea Bears. The Bandits (14-9) currently sit top of the Western Conference while the Sea Bears (13-10) sit in second place. “The mission is still the same.”
Five players were in double figures as the Vancouver Bandits defeated the Saskatoon Mamba 104-97 on Saturday night. The Bandits led for the entirety of the game, leading by as many as 17 points. Vancouver now sits atop of the Western Conference at 14-8, topping the Winnipeg Sea Bears (13-9). This win also secured home court advantage in the playoffs for the Bandits, who will officially begin the postseason on Thursday, August 6 at 7:00 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Tevin Brown led the Bandits in scoring with 23 points and seven three pointers made. “My teammates did a good job of getting me open,” said Brown. “They just let me play my game. (We) play a fast-paced offence and that’s where I thrive.” James Karnik followed with 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Bandits jumped out to an early 31-15 lead as Brown scored 11 of his 23 points in the first quarter. The Mamba went on a 29-21 run in the second quarter to cut the lead to 52-44 by halftime. Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong applauded his team for their resilience in the wire-to-wire win, even as the lead dwindled. “They might fight back but (we) still have to stay aggressive,” said Brempong. “Credit to Saskatoon. They made their run, but I’m more proud of the team and the resilience they’ve shown during the last handful of games.” All 11 players who played tonight recorded a made basket. Former NBA draft pick Stephen Zimmerman made his Bandits debut, recording two points and four rebounds in just three minutes of action. “It’s going to take everybody. Whether you come off the bench, I don’t care. Be strong enough that you affect the game and you impact winning,” said Brempong. Brempong said the Bandits are still bought into the mentality of being “on the hunt”, despite being first in the Western Conference. Brempong also said they can’t take their recent success for granted. “Don’t let it lull you to sleep. You still have to stay sharp,” he said. A layup from Shamar Givance won the game for the Bandits in target time. He finished with nine points and eight assists. Next, the Bandits will head on the road for a matchup with the Montreal Alliance on Tuesday, before wrapping up the season at home against the Winnipeg Sea Bears.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that the club has signed former NBA draft selection and decorated overseas champion Stephen Zimmerman for the remainder of the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 7-foot centre hailing from Las Vegas, Nev., Zimmerman was selected 41st overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2016 NBA Draft and appeared in 19 games as a rookie. With the signing, Zimmerman becomes the first-ever NBA draft selection to sign with the Bandits. “Zimmerman brings additional size to our team and experience from the highest levels of the game around the world,” said Bandits general manager Kyle Julius. “His signing is part of our strategic plan to ensure we have a strong roster to compete in the CEBL playoffs.” A veteran of 10 professional seasons, Zimmerman most recently played for Gigantes de San Francisco in the Dominican Republic during the 2025-26 season where he helped lead the club to a Dominican LNB championship. He also earned championships in the Czech Republic, guiding ERA Nymburk to both a Czech Cup and Czech NBL title in 2021. His journeyman career overseas includes previous stops in Germany, Poland, Australia, Japan, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Malaysia and China. In addition, Zimmerman played parts of four NBA G League seasons with the Orlando Magic’s affiliate (Erie Bayhawks, now Osceola Magic) in 2016-17, the Los Angeles Lakers’ affiliate (South Bay Lakers) in 2017-18, the New York Knicks’ affiliate (Westchester Knicks) in 2018-19, and San Antonio Spurs’ affiliate (Austin Spurs) in 2022-23. Internationally, Zimmerman represents the United States. He competed for his country at the senior level at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup and 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, and won a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in 2014. Before playing professionally, Zimmerman played one season of NCAA DI basketball for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). As a freshman, he started 24 of 26 games played and averaged 26.2 minutes, 10.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocked shots per game while shooting .477 per cent from the field.
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