Right & Wrong: An Analysis of the Bandits' round robin performance
By Contributing Bandits Writer: Grant Vassos • August 8, 2020
On the final day of the CEBL Summer Series round robin, the Bandits earned a crucial victory against the Guelph Nighthawks to earn their fourth CEBL Summer Series win and secured a bye to the semifinals. With the prospect of advancing to the team’s first-ever CEBL championship game, let's take a look at what has gone right – and wrong – for the Bandits thus far.
Right – Teamwork makes the dream work
Early on in Summer Series action, the Bandits relied on a combination of physical play inside the paint, and quality shooting from guards Junior Cadougan, Kyle Johnson, Marek Klassen and the league’s runner-up in three-pointers made (19) in Jahenns Manigat.
The Bandits’ offensive philosophy is to play up tempo with quick ball movement, utilizing the pick-and-roll and making sure every player is involved in each possession. Unselfish basketball has also been a staple of the Bandits as they currently lead the league with 18.8 assists per game.
In the game against Guelph, the Bandits rebounded from a scrappy opening half to pull off an outstanding 46-point second-half; highlighted by Klassen's decision-making, Manigat's six-of-seven shooting from beyond the arc and all-around play by forward Olu Ashaolu.
Fraser Valley has recorded three halves where they finished with 50-plus points, respectively, this Summer Series. However, it was the 113-point performance against the Edmonton Stingers that showed what this team is truly capable of when everyone works together.
Right – Grit and Tenacity
While the roster assembled by Julius may not wow an audience in size or household basketball names, there may not be a more well-conditioned, battle-tested team that plays with more swagger or toughness in the Summer Series than Fraser Valley.
Where the Bandits excel is by getting in your face, making you uncomfortable when the ball is in your hands, and winning on the hustle plays by sacrificing their bodies and diving for loose balls.
"We just picked up the intensity, and we pride ourselves on defence. Whatever happened on offence, that's it, but defence wins games. We pride ourselves on getting stops, so we did, and that helped our tempo on offence," Cadougan said, following the game against Guelph.
Fraser Valley also possesses a roster of versatile, defensive players in Ashaolu, Malcolm Duvivier, and Marcus Capers – who ranks fifth in the CEBL in rebounds per game (6.8) and fourth in blocks per game (1.2).
It's the steals, however, that have been a defining difference-maker for this team. Never was this more evident than in their game against Guelph, where the Bandits recorded 15 steals in comparison to the Nighthawks’ two. The Bandits also rank in the upper echelon of the CEBL in points off turnovers, which was critical in Fraser Valley’s victory against Edmonton when they outscored the Stingers 31-17 in that category.
Wrong – Slow First Quarter Starts
When the Bandits are riding a hot hand, slow starts are a liability they can live with. But when the shots aren't dropping, and they miss easy dunk and layup attempts, they can often find themselves fighting to stay within reach of the lead.
In the last four games before facing Guelph, the Bandits were outscored in the first quarter by an accumulated point total of 89 to 74. Two of those games ended in losses and the only game in which they scored more points in the opening frame was against the River Lions, who converted on just 28 per cent of their field goals.
"I liked the shots that we were getting, they definitely didn't go in the way I wanted them to today, but the truth is I liked what we were getting," Julius said after the Niagara game. "Our offensive identity, we've only been together for four or five games now, it's hard to really have a true identity, but we do want to space the floor and play quickly."
Despite what recent numbers may indicate, slow starts haven't always resulted in poor results for the Bandits. Against the Rattlers, Fraser Valley trailed by a margin of 10 points to end the first quarter before mounting an incredible second-half comeback where they outscored the Rattlers 49-28 to steal the victory.
Wildcard – Shooting Slumps
As important as team rebounding and establishing a robust inside presence may be for this team, especially against a physical team like Hamilton, shooting will continue to be the backbone that holds this scoring unit together.
Fraser Valley has proven to be one of the better-equipped shooting teams in the league.
Entering Saturday’s semifinal game, the Bandits are shooting 43.7 per cent from the field and a second-best 35.2 per cent from the perimeter. In the paint, Ashaolu, Capers, and forward Tavarion Nix are all capable of holding down the fort after recording a combined 27 points, two steals, two blocks, and a +23 plus-minus rating against the River Lions.
When wide-open shots come, shooters must capitalize on the broken coverage of their opponents. But this isn’t always the case for Fraser Valley.
Against Ottawa, the Bandits made 42 per cent of their two-point attempts compared to the Blackjacks’ 51 per cent, and followed up their next games against Hamilton and Niagara by going 33 per cent and 28 per cent on three-point attempts, respectively. When the shots become stagnant, and their rhythm is interrupted, that's when the Bandits benefit from their intangibles.
Fraser Valley finds a way to overcome their in-game struggles and push through.
"This is why you assemble a team with veterans," Julius said. "You can't coach everything, and you can't hold people's hands through adversity and things like that. This is why you have leadership and experienced players. Leadership does that, and we have a lot of leadership in that locker room."
Fraser Valley will attempt to stave off elimination at 10:30 a.m. PT this morning as the Bandits take on the Hamilton Honey Badgers on CBC.
LATEST NEWS
Seven players who have previously suited up for the Vancouver Bandits, including five from the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season, have been named to NBA G League training camp rosters ahead of the start of the 2026-27 season on November 6, 2026. The NBA G League serves as the NBA’s official minor league and features 31 teams, with 30 clubs having one-to-one affiliations with NBA franchises. Surrey, B.C.’s James Karnik will join the Portland Trail Blazers’ affiliate, Rip City Remix. Karnik has participated in 36 regular season games across four seasons dating back to 2022, including four games in 2026. This marks the first time that he has been named to an NBA G League training camp squad. Jaelen House, a former NBA G League All-Star who played in 10 games for the Bandits during the 2026 season, will be competing for a roster spot on the Utah Jazz’s affiliate, Salt Lake City Stars. He set the Bandits’ single-game scoring record, recording 42 points against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on June 18, 2026. The Charlotte Hornets’ affiliate and defending NBA G League champion, Greensboro Swarm, will feature Jarkel Joiner. Joiner played 21 games for the Bandits in 2026, leading the team in points per game (17.8), before being named to the Hornets’ training camp roster and logging minutes in four NBA preseason games. Joining Joiner on the Swarm is Kyle Mangas, who appeared in 16 games with 14 starts for the Bandits during the 2025 season. John Knight III, who logged 18 games for the Bandits in 2026, joins the Houston Rockets’ affiliate, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, a club he has played for since 2023. D’Andre Davis, who appeared in three games for the Bandits in 2026, looks to secure a roster spot with the Boston Celtics’ affiliate, Maine Celtics. A member of the 2023 Bandits roster, Georgian-born forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili will take the court with the Atlanta Hawks’ affiliate, College Park Skyhawks. The opening night rosters for all 32 NBA G League teams must be submitted by Sunday, November 5.
Former Vancouver Bandits forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Atlanta Hawks. The news was announced by the Hawks via social media on Wednesday. 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.
HAIDA GWAII, BC - October 6, 2026 - This past weekend, Vancouver Bandits, BC’s professional basketball team, and the Bandits Community Foundation hosted a series of youth basketball clinics on Haida Gwaii, continuing its ongoing series of community visits across the province in partnership with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I∙SPARC). The community visits and youth camps on Haida Gwaii were also made possible through the generous support of Langara Island Lodge and Skidegate Band Council. Led by Bandits Team President Dylan Kular and Community Manager Pavan Kalair, local youth athletes aged 10 to 17 from across Haida Gwaii participated in free-of-charge workshops and basketball camps, furthering the Bandits Community Foundation’s goal of bringing more basketball to more people across the province. "Haida Gwaii has an incredible passion for basketball, and it was an honour for our staff to spend time on the court with so many talented young athletes," said Vancouver Bandits Team President Dylan Kular. "Our partnership with I·SPARC through the Indigenous Basketball Collective is about building lasting relationships with communities across the province and making sure every young player has access to the game. We are grateful to Langara Island Lodge, the Skidegate Band Council and everyone in Old Massett, Masset and Skidegate who welcomed us, and we cannot wait to come back." “Programs like this show what is possible when partners come together for Indigenous youth,” said I·SPARC’s Chief Executive Officer Rick Brant. “We are proud to work with the Vancouver Bandits to bring high-quality basketball coaching to Haida Gwaii, where the game is so deeply loved." Bandits staff led PHE classes with students at Chief Matthews School in Old Massett, and ran skill development clinics for local youth athletes aged 13 to 17 across three communities at Kwiiyaans Community Hall (Old Massett), Daaxiigan Sk’adáa Née School (Masset) and George Brown Recreation Centre (Skidegate). “We are grateful for the opportunity for the Vancouver Bandits and I·SPARC to come in and work with our youth,” said Trevor Russ, head coach of the Old Massett Raiders boys basketball team. “Basketball plays a big role for our youth in Masset, and the Bandits coming to town provides an opportunity for them to work with some high-level coaches at the professional level. Our youth are very happy to have this opportunity.” “To be able to have the Vancouver Bandits come to Skidegate and Haida Gwaii is very important,” said Desi Collinson, Recreation Coordinator and elected representative to the Council of the Haida Nation. “Basketball means a lot to Haida Gwaii; it brings excitement, hope and inspiration to our communities. Organizations like the Bandits and I·SPARC give us different insights and outlooks that our young athletes have not experienced before, and we are happy to have them here to uplift our youth.” The camps are part of the Indigenous Basketball Collective, representing the ongoing collaboration between I∙SPARC and the Vancouver Bandits. Established in 2023, previous community visits hosted through the Collective since its inception include Ahousaht, Bella Coola (Nuxalk First Nation), Kitimat (Haisla Nation), Nanaimo (Snuneymuxw First Nation), Victoria, West Vancouver and Williams Lake with future youth camps and coaching seminars currently being planned for 2027.
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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