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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Today, the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced the winners of the 2026 CEBL Awards and the All-CEBL Teams via the league's digital and social media channels. Bandits forward Tyrese Samuel captured Canadian Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season. He was also named to the All-CEBL First Team and earned his second straight CEBL All-Canadian Team selection. Additionally, longtime international basketball official and Lower Mainland resident Mike Thomson was named a recipient of the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award in recognition of continued contributions to the CEBL officiating program. The full list of award winners is as follows: 2026 CEBL Award Winners Most Valuable Player: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Canadian Player of the Year: Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits) Coach of the Year: Tyrell Vernon (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Sixth Man of the Year: Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) CDIC Defensive Player of the Year: Kellen Tynes (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Developmental Player of the Year: Easton Thimm (Saskatchewan Mamba) Clutch Player of the Year: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award: Mike Thomson All-CEBL First Team: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Teddy Allen (Winnipeg Sea Bears), Javonte Smart (Ottawa BlackJacks), Sean East II (Brampton Honey Badgers), Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits) All-CEBL Second Team: Tavian Dunn-Martin (Saskatoon Mamba), Khalil Ahmad (Niagara River Lions), Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Nick Hornsby (Edmonton Stingers), Matthew Cleveland (Ottawa BlackJacks) CEBL All-Canadian Team: Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits), Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Quincy Guerrier (Montréal Alliance), Sean Miller-Moore (Calgary Surge), Jaden Bediako (Saskatoon Mamba) Samuel returns as the reigning Canadian Player of the Year, repeating as this year's winner after finishing third in the CEBL in rebounding at 8.7 per game. The Montreal, Que., native led Vancouver in rebounds (8.7), blocked shots (1.1) and field goal percentage (53.5 per cent), while finishing second on the team in scoring at 17.1 points per game. Samuel’s standout performances and accolades across his two seasons with the Bandits helped accelerate his career progression. Following the 2025 CEBL season, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns joining the team on its training camp roster. He is now preparing for his first overseas opportunity, signing with French club Cosea JL Bourg for the 2026-27 season who compete in the prestigious EuroCup league and the Ligue Nationale de Basket. A resident of New Westminster, Mike Thomson was honoured with the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award for his continued contributions to the CEBL officiating program. A FIBA-licensed Referee Instructor with nearly 50 years of basketball officiating involvement, Thomson’s resume includes officiating the 2000 Summer Olympic Games and serving as a Referee Instructor at the 2024 Summer Olympics and both the 2019 and 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cups. A longtime contributor to the CEBL, he served as both a Referee Coach and member of the Referee Advisory Committee this past season, drawing on his extensive experience in Canadian and international basketball to provide steady guidance and leadership throughout the season. Award winners and All-CEBL First, Second, and All-Canadian Teams are determined by votes cast by the CEBL's team head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters, and internal media personnel, based on regular season performance. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team. All CEBL award winners will receive a customized ring from Jostens, the Official Supplier of Award Rings of the CEBL, as well as a special gift from Foot Locker, the official sportswear retailer of the CEBL and its 10 teams. Details on tickets for the 2027 season can be found via CEBL.ca/tickets .
The Vancouver Bandits, in conjunction with the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), announced Tuesday that forward Tyrese Samuel is among the nominees for Canadian Player of the Year at the 2026 CEBL Awards. Most Valuable Player finalists Myles Powell of the Scarborough Shooting Stars and Teddy Allen of the Winnipeg Sea Bears headline the list of nominees revealed across five player award categories. 2026 CEBL Award Finalists Most Valuable Player: Myles Powell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Teddy Allen (Winnipeg Sea Bears) Canadian Player of the Year: Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits) Sixth Man of the Year: Frank Mitchell (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Stanley Davis Jr. (Edmonton Stingers) Defensive Player of the Year: Alex Fudge (Ottawa BlackJacks), Kellen Tynes (Scarborough Shooting Stars) Developmental Player of the Year: Easton Thimm (Saskatchewan Mamba), Mohamed Mahadhi (Saskatchewan Mamba) Additional 2026 CEBL Awards, including Coach of the Year, Clutch Player of the Year, the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award, and the All-CEBL First, Second, and All-Canadian teams, will also be announced next week following the conclusion of the CEBL Finals. Samuel returns as the reigning Canadian Player of the Year, up for the award for a second consecutive season. The Montreal, Quebec native ranked third in the CEBL in rebounding at 8.7 per game and led Vancouver in rebounds (8.7), blocked shots (1.1) and field goal percentage (53.5%), while finishing second on the team in scoring at 17.1 points per game. Award nominees and winners are determined by votes cast by the league's head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters, and media personnel. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team.
The Vancouver Bandits’ championship aspirations ended in the Western Final. The visiting Winnipeg Sea Bears never trailed after the first quarter, defeating the Bandits 107-96 on Saturday afternoon on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre in the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Western Conference Final. Winnipeg advances to face the Brampton Honey Badgers in the best-of-three CEBL Finals. “We had a couple of defensive assignment game plan pieces that I thought we just did not ever execute,” said Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius. “They jumped on us right from the start and had more energy.” Vancouver had won the season series 3-1, including a crucial 114-90 victory less than a week ago that clinched home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs. “This group (today) is way better than the Winnipeg we played the other day because of him,” Julius said of Sea Bears guard Trey McGowens, who finished with 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists. “I thought he was the X factor — the way he plays, the toughness he has, the athleticism,” Julius added. “He gave them a lot of life. The way he played, created a lot of opportunities.” Winnipeg’s Simon Hildebrandt also proved too much for the Bandits, finishing with 24 points to tie Xavier Moon for the team lead. “You have to give him a lot of credit … he absolutely killed us. He dominated his matchup all night,” Julius said. Shamar Givance led the Bandits with 21 points and 11 assists, while Mitch Creek and Tevin Brown finished with 19 points apiece.
At this stage of the season, style points don’t matter. “Just win the day. I said after the game, it wasn’t pretty, but this time of year, it’s survive and advance,” said Vancouver Bandits General Manager Kyle Julius, who returned to coaching duties on Thursday night. Julius had stepped away from coaching duties earlier in the season after accepting a coaching position in China but retained his role as the Bandits’ general manager. With Vancouver entering the Canadian Elite Basketball League playoffs, Julius returned to the sidelines Thursday night after consulting with interim head coach Rans Brempong, who had previously served as his lead assistant. The result was a 92-83 victory over the visiting Edmonton Stingers in the Western Conference semi-final on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Edmonton raced out to a 9-0 lead before Vancouver settled into its game and took a 52-42 lead into halftime. The Stingers responded with a strong third quarter, outscoring the Bandits 25-13, and led by five points in the fourth quarter before Vancouver battled back with an 11-1 run heading into Target Score Time. The game ended on a Mychal Mulder three-pointer from the corner. “I was spaced properly … and Shamar (Givance) made the right read and kicked it out to me, and I was able to knock it down,” Mulder said. “Our entire fourth quarter is a testament to how we fight and how you pull a win out.” Mulder scored 15 points off the bench and was one of five Vancouver players in double figures, with Givance leading the way with 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Mitch Creek (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Tyrese Samuel (13 points, 10 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles, while Tevin Brown added 19 points and connected on five three-pointers. Nick Hornsby led the Stingers with 22 points, but he was the only Edmonton player to score more than 11. A big factor in the late-game turnaround was the sold-out crowd cheering on the home side. “The crowd really got into it in the fourth quarter and they really boosted us,” Julius said. “I cannot say enough about our fans, they have been tremendous.” It was a sentiment echoed by Mulder. “They are incredible. They pack it out every game. (Coach) was saying in the locker room, it’s like all of a sudden, it turns into six-on-five,” Mulder said. “They are great for our energy and that’s what we fought for, to have home-court advantage.” Vancouver will look to capitalize on that home-court advantage once again when the Bandits host the Winnipeg Sea Bears on Saturday (August 8) at 12:30 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre in the Western Conference Final, with a spot in the CEBL Championship Finals on the line.
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Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Mamba on May 14, 2026.
A message from Vancouver Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius on the 2025 season and thoughts on the CEBL Western Conference Semifinal.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on August 16th, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on August 3rd, 2025.