Rattlers and Bandits square off to end CEBL’s regular season slate
By: Matthew Winick • August 10, 2021
The Saskatchewan Rattlers (1-12) and Fraser Valley Bandits (6-7) will put a close to the 2021 CEBL regular season on Tuesday night at the SaskTel Centre at 6:00 p.m. PT/7:00 p.m. CT.
A season that was unprecedented amongst Canadian sports leagues getting back from the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign was slightly delayed in order to follow health and safety protocols but has been up and running since the Niagara River Lions and Ottawa BlackJacks tipped off on June 24th.
After a slate of highlight plays, key storylines, Elam Ending game-winners and raucous crowds, the 49th and final regular season game is on tap. Should the contest between the Bandits and Rattlers be like what we’ve witnessed in the CEBL all year, it should be highly entertaining.
Recent Rematch
It won’t take long to search back and find the last time these two squads played, as Fraser Valley and Saskatchewan squared off on Sunday afternoon, with the Bandits pulling out an 85-79 victory and snapping a five-game losing streak.
Fraser Valley led almost the entire way, taking an advantage 3:10 into the game and never relinquishing it. Saskatchewan did make a run into the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to just four, but it was too little, too late.
The Rattlers’ lack of depth really struggled on the court whenever the starters took a breather, as the team finished with only 10 bench points on the night compared to the Bandits’ 20. While Saskatchewan’s reserves will never be their biggest strength, having players like Mambi Diawara and Nervens Demosthene put together solid minutes headlined by scoring would be a major boost.
Award Races
With the regular season reaching its end, not only have CEBL fans seen great games, but they’ve also witnessed great individual player performances. With awards set to be distributed shortly, many of those athletes will soon be recognized.
Saskatchewan’s Devonte Bandoo will certainly be in the running for Canadian of the Year, as the Mississauga, Ontario native leads the Rattlers in points, assists and steals while ranking second in the entire league in three-pointers made.
On the other side, Fraser Valley’s 7-foot big man Brandon Gilbeck will be in consideration for Defensive Player of the Year, as he leads the CEBL in blocked shots per game at 2.9 a night.
Look for both award competitors to play a large role towards their team’s performance on Tuesday.
Playoff Picture
Considering all teams except for these two have wrapped up their regular seasons, the playoff picture is finally set and stable.
For Saskatchewan, that means their season will be over once the final buzzer sounds against Fraser Valley. The Rattlers will use the opportunity to play in front of their fans one last time and start building towards next year’s team.
Fraser Valley’s attention will be shifted towards its quarterfinal playoff game, set for Sunday against the fifth seeded Guelph Nighthawks. The Bandits will surely use Tuesday’s game as a chance to prepare for the winner-take-all contest against the Nighthawks in just five days.
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 Vancouver Bandits announced Saturday that Trinity Western Spartans alumnus David Mutabazi has re-signed with the club for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League season (CEBL). The 6-foot-5 guard joined the Bandits as a Developmental Player during the 2025 season where he was selected 30th overall in the CEBL Draft, appearing in nine games with three starts. Mutabazi made an immediate impact, logging 29 minutes and finishing with a game-high plus-44 as a starter in his professional debut on May 15, 2025 in a 106-65 win against the Saskatchewan Rattlers. “David was a complete surprise last season. His defensive instincts and relentless effort elevated our locker room culture,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “This year, we are counting on David to do even more. He is one of our few returning players and we expect him to bring that toughness, intensity, and now leadership to push us forward.” Mutabazi recently finished a four-year collegiate basketball career at Trinity Western University, where he averaged 13.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game across 83 games dating back to 2022. During the 2025-26 season, he averaged 9.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 17 games, placing him in the top five in those categories for the Spartans. Mutabazi will be reunited with fellow TWU product Jack Vandenberg on the Bandits training camp roster, which begins on Tuesday, May 5. Born in Kirinda, Rwanda, Mutabazi recently represented his country at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket tournament. In his international debut, he averaged 5.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while playing 19.1 minutes per game across three games as its sixth man off the bench. Fans will get their first chance to watch the Bandits’ new-look roster in a charitable preseason game on Saturday, May 9 at 5:00 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre when the club faces the Sikh Warriors from ESPN’s The Basketball Tournament. Preseason tickets are on sale at this link , with proceeds benefitting the Bandits Community Foundation. 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 Friday that the club has signed Houston Rockets’ NBA G League guard John Knight III to its roster for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. Knight, a 6-foot-3 guard from Jackson, Miss., has spent the past three seasons in the NBA G League with the Houston Rockets’ minor league affiliate, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, where he became known for his dunking ability and shutdown defensive skills. During the 2025-26 season, Knight averaged 7.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while playing 31.1 minutes per night across 34 games with 29 starts. “We are really excited to add John to our roster this summer. He is an explosive, high-level athlete who can impact the game on both ends and defend multiple positions,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “He has had real success in the NBA G League, and we expect him to bring that same production, toughness, and versatility to our group right away.” Prior to the NBA G league, Knight made his professional debut during the 2022-23 season with Norwegian club Frøya Basket where he averaged 22.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 6.3 rebounds per game. Knight led the team in all categories, as well as steals (104), blocks (39), and minutes played (1363). Before turning pro, Knight attended Utah State University during the 2018-19 season before transferring to Southern Utah University from 2019 to 2022. During his time with the Thunderbirds, Knight earned First Team All-Big Sky Conference honours in 2022 during his senior year. Knight will reunite with fellow Thunderbird alumnus and recent Bandits free agent signing Tevian Jones, who both shared the court during the 2021-22 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.
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