Project rebuild leaves Fraser Valley Bandits with future blueprint for success
Emily Wilson • November 3, 2020
After finishing in last place in their inaugural season, the Fraser Valley Bandits went back to the drawing board determined and focused on rebranding themselves as true competitors.
When the Bandits returned to play nearly a year later, the new-look organization had engineered a sharp turnaround, proving themselves to be a championship contender by finishing as runners up in the 2020 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).
But with such a dramatic turnaround, where do the Bandits go next?
Led by new head coach Kyle Julius, the organization travelled almost 4,500 kilometres from Abbotsford, B.C. to St. Catharines, Ont. to participate in the ‘bubble-style tournament’ for a pandemic impacted season.
Their opponents were familiar, but the Bandits looked reborn. The team sported a new roster with just one returning player in B.C. native, Marek Klassen. Right from the start, they had a game plan moving into year two.
“The first thing that we did as the team [was] just mostly reflecting after year one. We were the worst team based on record in year one, we lost a lot of close games but there was definitely an edge that we were missing and right away we knew that we had to rebuild,” said Bandits vice president Dylan Kular.
“We knew that we wanted to be the developmental hub for the CEBL. We wanted to make sure that if players were coming to the Fraser Valley, that they knew they were going to get the best medical treatment, the best basketball development, they're going to develop as people and they are going to propel their careers.”
Starting from scratch might have been seen as a setback, yet the Bandits held a slight advantage as Julius knew most of the players and their playing styles from previous years. With those connections, it didn’t take long for the team to make themselves known in the CEBL.
“My coaching style is process-driven and I wanted a group of guys that I knew were going to play as hard as they could,” said Julius on constructing the roster. “I wanted a group of guys that really wanted to be there in the CEBL and specifically for the Bandits.”
“What you saw was what we planned to do.”
Kular echoed the same thoughts. “We knew if we brought those kinds of people in that we were going to give ourselves a really good chance to be successful in the Summer Series and that ended up being the case.”
However, while the prior on-the-court experience enhanced the team’s cohesiveness, it was the individual drive that pushed them to be their best and earn a spot in the final.
“Coach Julius gathered a bunch of guys who had something to prove, myself included,” said guard Jahenns Manigat. “A bunch of guys who have felt underappreciated, undervalued.”
“In the locker room, it was just a bunch of guys who are hungry, who were eager to prove something not only to the public but to themselves as well. We just all kind of took that as like our warcry and carried it with us with every game.”
Message received. The CEBL took notice as opposing teams took note of the chip on Fraser Valley’s shoulder.
Right from the opening tip-off, the Bandits impressed many as the team finished with a 4-2 record in the round robin, earning themselves a berth in the playoff semifinals against the Hamilton Honey Badgers.
In group play, the Honey Badgers were one of the two teams to defeat the Bandits, handing them a 102-96 loss. But with a spot in the final on the line, Fraser Valley wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip.
The match-up was a tight contest as the Bandits won 76-75 after overcoming a 14-point fourth quarter deficit.
“That semifinal was a crazy comeback,” Kular said. “We had guys puking in the changeroom after the game and then less than 24 hours later we got ready for another game.”
When it came time for the final, Kular said the Bandits had just simply run out of gas as they lost 90-73 to the top-seeded Edmonton Stingers.
Despite not going home with any hardware, the team returned to B.C. with their heads held high and most importantly, a new foundation for the organization.
“Our goal was to win. So on that Sunday afternoon after we lost we were all deeply saddened about it. We didn't want to go home without that number one spot. But when you look at it, in hindsight, we did a really good job,” Manigat said. “We've proved that the right pieces could have an immediate effect.”
“Our goal was to show fans a type of a basketball that is gritty and people that want to lockdown on defence and are going to give their full effort night in and night out,” Kular said. “I think we achieved that. Fans back in B.C., and even across the country, were letting us know that.”
Whether or not the same players and coaching staff return for the 2021 season, the redevelopment of the organization leaves a solid blueprint to refer to for future success.
“If you understand how to build a team, if you understand how to get a coach who knows how to coach up his players and to have players who are willing to listen and give 110 per cent effort, then you're going to move in the right direction,” Manigat said.
“I think that's what the Bandits learned this past summer and I think that's what they're going to look forward to continuing to build in the future.”
Kular emphasized that plan, “We're looking forward to what 2021 holds.”
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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 Calgary Surge on June 1st, 2025.