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
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed Trinity Western University (TWU) product Jack Vandenberg to its roster for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A six-foot tall guard from Vancouver, Vandenberg earned an invitation to the inaugural Bandits University Combine. 40 local student-athletes competed against each other, developing their game against B.C.’s top young talent and with the help of Bandits coaching staff. The club hosted the combine to identify players who can make an impact in training camp and potentially sign to its roster for the upcoming 2026 season. “Jack Vandenberg is one of the premier shooters in Canada. He proved it again at our combine, where he stood out for his elite space and shot-making,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “Having coached him in the gym, I know he’s tough, a leader on his university team, and a player who is going to help push our culture forward.” Julius stressed the importance of Vandenberg’s ability to space the floor in training camp, which begins on Tuesday, May 5. “We are excited to add his toughness and sharpshooting as we gear up for camp,” he continued. In his junior year at TWU during the 2025-26 season, Vandenberg led his team with 15.8 points-per-game while also averaging 3.5 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 20 games with 19 starts. He led the Canada West conference in three-pointers made, finishing with 75 makes on 175 attempts. Vandenberg shot .429 per cent from beyond the arc, ranking 4th in the conference. Prior to his time with the Spartans, Vandenberg attended Montreal’s Concordia University in the 2022-23 season. An alumnus of St. George’s School in Vancouver, he earned Second Team All-Star honours at the 2022 BC 4A Boys Basketball Provincial Championship where he helped lead his school to a top 10 finish in his senior year. 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 Wednesday that the club has signed the University of British Columbia Okanagan’s (UBCO) all-time leading scorer and assist leader Jalen Shirley to its roster for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A six-foot guard from Brampton, Ont., Shirley was invited to participate in the inaugural Bandits University Combine, hosted by the club to identify players to invite to training camp and add to its roster for the upcoming 2026 season. Shirley was one of 40 student-athletes from local universities, earning a spot on the Bandits 2026 training camp roster, beginning on May 5. “At our combine, Jalen stood out for not getting sped up and playing with control,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “We are thrilled to bring him in and give him the platform to develop into a top-tier professional as he transitions from university to the next level.” He averaged 20.8 points per game in his final season (2025-26), which ranked second in the Canada West conference, as well as 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 34.4 minutes played per game across 23 games and starts. His play earned him Canada West Third Team All-Star honours. Shirley finished his six-year university career as the UBCO Heat’s all-time leader in points and assists, while ranking second all-time in steals, and received the school’s men’s Graduating Athlete of the Year award. “Jalen is an elite U SPORTS point guard who plays the game with solid poise and pace. In pick-and-roll situations, he plays with flow and gets to his spots,” added Julius. 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.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Tuesday that the club has signed University of Victoria Vikes standout and former U SPORTS national champion Shadynn Smid for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 6-foot-7 forward from Duncan, B.C., Smid has spent the last four years playing post-secondary basketball with the University of Victoria. He helped lead the Vikes to a U SPORTS Final 8 appearance in each of his four years with the program, a run that included three Canada West conference championships and a U SPORTS national championship in 2024-25. Smid was one of 40 men’s basketball student-athletes invited to the Bandits University Combine , hosted by the club to identify players to invite to training camp and add to its roster for the upcoming 2026 season. The signing marks Smid’s first-ever professional contract and he will join the club for 2026 Training Camp, commencing on Tuesday, May 5. “Shadynn is a rare combination of elite athleticism and growing skill. He was one of the best players in Canada and we think he can impact winning for us right away,” said head coach and general manager, Kyle Julius. “Shadynn is an explosive athlete who brings a relentless motor every time he steps on the floor. He embodies our team’s culture and we are excited to get to work with him.” He started 25 of 26 games in the 2025-26 season, averaging 13.4 points and pulling down a team-high 5.6 rebounds per game en route to earning Canada West Second Team All-Star honours. Prior to his post-secondary career, Smid attended Cowichan (now Quw’utsun) Secondary. Internationally, Smid represented Canada at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games where he competed in 3x3 basketball. As part of the CEBL’s long-standing partnership with U SPORTS, Canadian men’s basketball student-athletes can be signed to CEBL Developmental Player Contracts therefore retaining a student-athlete’s post-secondary eligibility.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that Vancouver-based contact lens supplier, PerfectLens , has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Canadian professional basketball by extending its season presenting partnership of the Bandits for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. PerfectLens has partnered with Bandits Basketball since 2020 when its inaugural year of partnership was announced prior to the CEBL Summer Series. The focus of PerfectLens’ partnership with British Columbia’s professional basketball team is to contribute to the game day experience at Vancouver’s home venue of Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (LEC) and to support basketball communities throughout the Lower Mainland. PerfectLens supported Bandits Community Foundation’s School Tour, a free program for high schools where Vancouver Bandits head coach Kyle Julius visited over 160 teams in three years. The upcoming CEBL seasons represent the seventh year of partnership between the Bandits and PerfectLens. “Since day one, our partnership with the Vancouver Bandits has been about more than visibility, it’s been about impact. Over the past six years, we’ve had the opportunity to support basketball at every level, from the energy inside Langley Events Centre on game day to meaningful community initiatives like the Bandits School Tour. We’re proud to continue building alongside an organization that shares our values of accessibility, community and growing the game across British Columbia,” said PerfectLens President Mitsuhiro Shigeno. As the club’s Official Contact Lens Supplier since 2020, PerfectLens will be promoted on Bandits game days at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre with a co-branded logo lock at centre court and on the team’s shorts for both home and away games against CEBL competition in each of the league’s nine other markets in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Brampton, Niagara (St. Catharines), Scarborough (Toronto), Ottawa and Montréal. Bandits fans also receive an exclusive 20% discount on their first order through PerfectLens now through the end of the 2026 season on August 31st, 2026. PerfectLens has built a vast customer base across Canada since its inception in 2014. Through prioritizing customer service, its offering of brand name contact lenses at affordable prices, PerfectLens has earned a strong reputation from its loyal clients. “PerfectLens has been an integral part of the Bandits story since 2020, and their continued commitment speaks to the strength of this partnership. They understand that what we are building goes beyond basketball, it is about creating unforgettable game day experiences and making a lasting impact in communities across the province,” said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. “We are proud to have PerfectLens back as our Season Presenting Partner and look forward to continuing to grow together in 2026 and beyond.”
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