Rattlers And Bandits Face Off In A Rematch Of CEBL Season Opener
By: Justine Jones • July 1, 2021
The Saskatchewan Rattlers (0-2) return to the Abbotsford Centre looking for their first win of the season, as they take on the Fraser Valley Bandits (2-0) at 5:00 p.m. ET/ 2:00 p.m. local time.
This marks a rematch of both team’s season opener, where the Bandits emerged victorious with a 92-74 win.
Saskatchewan is still in search of its first victory on the season, after losing a heartbreaker, 73-71 to the Hamilton Honey Badgers on Monday. A deep three-pointer by the Rattlers’ Tevonn Walker tied the game at 71, but after the basket the Honey Badgers regained possession and won on an Elam Ending bucket by Lindell Wigginton.
The Rattlers’ opponent today, the Fraser Valley Bandits, who remain undefeated after topping the Niagara River Lions earlier this week with a convincing 104-81 win.
This is the second of four meetings for these two teams this season, with the other two matchups scheduled for August 8 and August 10 at the SaskTel Centre.
Strong Start
Fraser Valley has picked up two wins early on in the CEBL season largely due to strong rotation depth and a consistent effort from the top of their lineup to the bottom.
Former Saskatchewan Rattlers, Alex Campbell and Shaquille Keith, provided a boost off the bench for the Bandits in their season opener on Saturday. In game two, Kenny Manigault contributed solid energy when he checked into the game.
This roster has looked very good early on because of their ability to build chemistry quickly. These were considerations head coach Dave Singleton and general manager Kyle Julius weighed when constructing the Bandits’ roster for the year.
“It’s how we train and also how we recruited the players. I think that’s in their DNA,” said head coach Dave Singleton. “How we’ve trained up until this point has prepared them for these type of situations.”
In their win over the Niagara River Lions on Tuesday night, the Bandits had seven players score in double digits. Fraser Valley was able to set the tone early with their tenacity on defence and on-ball pressure that forced the River Lions into turnovers. They were able to get out in transition early and often, and converted these steals into layups and three-pointers.
The Bandits came ready to play and led from start to finish, something that was not apparent in their season opener against the Rattlers. In game one, the Bandits fell behind early as Saskatchewan opened up a nine-point lead after the first quarter. A strong start to the game will be key if Fraser Valley wants to improve to 3-0.
Front court forces
Some central contributors for the Rattlers so far this season have been in their front court. In Saskatchewan’s season opener, forward JaKeenan Gant led the way for the Rattlers tallying 22 points on 61 per cent shooting. On Tuesday night, Gant scored 13 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. The six-foot-eight forward has showed his versatility early on this season, draining three-pointers while also being dominant around the rim.
Another frontcourt force for the Rattlers is offseason acquisition Travis Daniels. Daniels was named a CEBL First Team All-Star in both 2019 and 2020, and was an integral part of the Edmonton Stingers’ championship winning roster last summer. He has since taken his talents to Saskatchewan and has been solid for the Rattlers early on, scoring 14 points in his debut, and adding 13 points in the team’s second contest.
Despite their 0-2 record, the Rattlers can be encouraged with their improvements from game one to game two. Specifically, the team took better care of the ball, recording six less turnovers in their second match compared to their season opener.
“Anytime you have a setback, it’s an opportunity to learn from it and to grow and to get better,” said head coach Chad Jacobson after the Rattlers’ opening night loss. “It is a longer season, we have 13 more games, we definitely need to be better and clean things up but we can’t hit the panic button after one game.”
All CEBL games will be 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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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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