Rattlers And Bandits Seeking Consistency In Season Three Of The CEBL
Justine Jones • June 26, 2021

The Saskatchewan Rattlers and Fraser Valley Bandits will tip off their 2021 CEBL seasons on June 26 at 7 p.m. ET at the Abbotsford Centre, marking the return of professional basketball to British Columbia for the first time since the COVID-19 shutdown.
Through two seasons, both franchises have finished near the top and bottom of the standings. This year they will look to establish themselves as consistent contenders in the CEBL.
Saskatchewan came into the league hot, winning the inaugural CEBL title in 2019 in front of a loud and proud Saskatoon crowd. But in the 2020 CEBL Summer Series, the team missed out on the playoffs, finishing at 1-5 and spending a large portion of the two-week condensed season nursing minor injuries.
This narrative is opposite of the Fraser Valley Bandits, who struggled in the 2019 CEBL season finishing at 4-16, but turned it around last year with a remarkable run to the championship. While they were ultimately defeated by their western rival, the Edmonton Stingers, head coach Kyle Julius was proud of the team’s gritty play.
Welcome back
Saskatchewan will have a familiar face behind the bench this season in Chad Jacobson. The Rattlers head coach was an assistant during their 2019 championship season before taking over full coaching duties last year.
Returning players Kemy Osse, Negus Webster-Chan, Denzell Taylor, Jelane Pryce, and Kai Williams will also give Saskatchewan a boost. In addition to keeping this core group of Canadians together, the Rattlers have added a crucial off-season import from the championship-winning Edmonton Stingers in Travis Daniels.
The six-foot-eight forward is a strong scorer and defender who will bring size to the Rattlers’ line up as well as a solid presence on the glass. Daniels was named a CEBL First Team All-Star in both 2019 and 2020 and is a versatile player who will be counted upon to play multiple positions in the front court.
Shoes to fill
While the Fraser Valley franchise may be called the Bandits, it was they who were robbed this off-season with the Ottawa BlackJacks and Niagara River Lions swiping two of the Bandits’ veteran players in Junior Cadougan and Olu Ashaolu. This, in addition to head coach Kyle Julius staying overseas in Taiwan, means there will be high expectations for the incoming recruits this season.
Former Fraser Valley assistant coach David Singleton will take over as bench boss and will look to continue with the same type of physical and tenacious play they found success with last year.
Guards Malcolm Duvivier and Marek Klassen are the only two returning from the 2020 roster. This duo will be asked to lead and continue to facilitate Fraser Valley’s signature gritty and persistent style of play.
Duvivier ranked in the team’s top three in both points per game and rebounds per game last year. As a dependable two-way player, the six-foot-two guard was named the team’s defensive player of the year and MVP last season.
The other backcourt Bandit, Klassen, averaged 9.3 points and 3.4 assists per game in 2020. The Abbotsford native is entering his third season with Fraser Valley and is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. He was previously named a CEBL Second Team All-Star in 2019.
Klassen and Duvivier will anchor the Bandits’ backcourt this season alongside a key off-season acquisition in Alex Campbell.
Old friends
Campbell will square off against his old team, the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Saturday night. He travels west alongside his former Rattlers teammate, Shaquille Keith.
Keith finds himself in a new CEBL jersey for the third straight season having played for Saskatchewan in year one, and in the nation’s capital in year two. The Toronto, Ont., native played a key role for the expansion BlackJacks last season, averaging 10.3 points per game on 51.4 per cent shooting.
Campbell previously captained the Rattlers to the title in 2019 and won the CEBL Finals MVP as the team’s leader in points, minutes, and three-point shooting percentage.
In 2020, the six-foot-two guard took his talents overseas to Finland playing for Lahti Basketball Club and led the team to a fifth place finish. Campbell brings veteran leadership and championship pedigree to the Valley, and will be a key piece both against his former team and for the duration of the season.
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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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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Former Vancouver Bandits guard Jarkel Joiner has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Utah Jazz. The news was announced by the Jazz via press release on Friday . During his time with the Bandits in the 2026 season, House made 10 appearances, including 9 starts, averaging 24.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game and earned CEBL Western Conference Player of the Month honours for May 2026. On June 18, 2026 at Winnipeg, he set the Bandits' single-game franchise scoring record with 42 points. 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.

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