ACROSS THE GLOBE AND BACK AGAIN: DAVE SINGLETON PREPARES TO TAKE THE REINS AS HEAD COACH
By Bandits Staff Writer: Diana Hong • May 6, 2021
Dave Singleton has already begun to prepare for his new role as head coach of the Fraser Valley Bandits this summer. The transition will see Singleton, who spent last summer as an assistant coach under the watchful eye of mentor and then-head coach and general manager Kyle Julius, take the reins as bench boss.
Julius, who currently serves as head coach for the Formosa Dreamers, will remain in Taiwan this summer and will serve as general manager of the Bandits this season.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me to get back to North America and coach there with the quality level of basketball in Canada that’s forever growing and expanding,” Singleton said
Singleton actually grew up as a football player and later pursued a career in coaching basketball. Since starting his coaching career with the Nelson Giants in New Zealand’s National Basketball League (NBL), he has focused on bringing the toughness and camaraderie learned from his time spent playing wide receiver for Tiffin University’s football team to each club that he works with.
“Blocking for another player to get that person open is like giving yourself up, being selfless in the way that you operate every day,” Singleton said. “Playing football has taught me a lot of valuable lessons. I was able to have that mental toughness as well and being ready physically even at a young age when I played high school as a freshman on varsity because I was used to physical contact.”
From New Zealand, Vietnam and Indonesia, Singleton has plenty of experience coaching professional basketball in a variety of cultural contexts. Singleton is currently the head coach for Bima Perkasa of the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL).The team recently qualified for the playoffs. All the teams in the IBL are celebrating Ramadan, which Singleton respects as an important part of the team, league and country’s culture. In the meantime, Singleton has adjusted the team’s training plans to ensure they stay in shape and to ensure the safety of his team.
As an international coach, having a translator has been crucial for Singleton to swiftly and clearly communicate with his team. He has learned about different cultural values and has developed an appreciation for each player’s willingness to learn. He recognizes that patience is required when teaching new plays because he needs to make sure his players clearly understand his feedback and instruction, even if it means revisiting certain topics or spending extra time to convey a key point.
“I've used a translator basically over the last five years, so I've been very blessed with that,” Singleton said.
Although Singleton has been busy with Bima Perkasa, he has continued his efforts to build toward the start of Fraser Valley’s season, which is slated to begin June 24.
“From managing this team here and the beginning of our Bandits season, our acquisitions, our roster moves and connecting the team on Zoom calls, it's a forever process. I'm working basically 24 hours – calling people back in Canada and then obviously doing my job here so it's been quite the experience but I don't mind it at all,” Singleton said.
Singleton has also been in close contact with his coaching staff. “What we've already done over the first month and a half, even two months, is I've organized Zoom calls with the assistant coaches (soon to be announced). We stay connected and we talk basketball, roster and philosophy,” Singleton said.
Singleton has also been in close contact with Julius. Julius and Singleton talk daily and stay up to date amid the flux of the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s (CEBL) free agency period.
Although his staff are spread across the world, Singleton and the rest of the basketball operations department have made it a priority to show Bandits fans that last season’s success was just the beginning. After finishing first in point differential and second in steals and assists per game, the Bandits lost against the Edmonton Stingers in the finals at the CEBL Summer Series. The team is eager to prove that the best has yet to come for Fraser Valley’s pro ball club.
Competing within the format of a single-site season last year at the Summer Series, Singleton and the coaching staff were able to develop a workout plan that can be done by players remotely. The rigorous routine has carried forward to this season with players being held accountable through virtual meetings.
“It was a way that we were able to put these guys in situations where they can post videos, post pictures of themselves working out into our group chat on WhatsApp. What it does is it creates a lot of chemistry and continues to push our culture forward,” Singleton said.
“It’s a new season and a new team. We don’t want to look to the past too much. We know that this is a new challenge and a new opportunity, but our goals remain the same. We want to make sure that we do everything that we can now, so that we can get back to that championship.”
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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.”
the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) and CBC Sports unveiled the league’s 2026 broadcast and streaming schedule. Beginning May 9, CBC Sports will live stream every game of the 2026 CEBL season on the free CBC Gem streaming service, cbcsports.ca and CBC Sports YouTube channel . Additionally, six regular season matchups, the Conference Finals and the best-of-three CEBL Finals will be broadcast nationally on CBC TV. CBC Sports’ coverage of the league’s eighth season tips off on Saturday, May 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. MT) from the Edmonton EXPO Centre, where the Edmonton Stingers host former Stingers guard and three-time CEBL MVP Xavier Moon and the Winnipeg Sea Bears in a highly anticipated season opener. “This broadcast schedule reflects the commitment of both our League and CBC Sports to deliver Canadian-grown, top-tier sport action across the nation,” said CEBL President and CEO Ty Mazereeuw. “We’ll be bringing free access to premier matchups from Canada’s pro basketball league to audiences across Canada .” CBC Sports returns as a key media partner under a new five-year agreement, as announced March 3 , after serving as the league’s original broadcaster from 2019 to 2022. The national broadcast schedule also features a marquee rematch of last summer’s dramatic Western Conference Semifinal, with the Calgary Surge visiting the Vancouver Bandits on July 5 at Langley Events Centre. Additional matchups throughout the summer will showcase some of the league’s top rivalries and premier talent. Regular-Season games available on CBC TV: Saturday, May 9, 2026 | 3:30 PM ET | Winnipeg Sea Bears at Edmonton Stingers Sunday, July 5, 2026 | 3:30 PM ET | Calgary Surge at Vancouver Bandits Sunday, July 12, 2026 | 3:30 PM ET | Calgary Surge at Winnipeg Sea Bears Saturday, July 18, 2026 | 3:30 PM ET | Edmonton Stingers at Niagara River Lions Saturday, July 25, 2026 | 3:30 PM ET | Brampton Honey Badgers at Winnipeg Sea Bears Sunday, August 2, 2026 | 3:30 PM ET | Winnipeg Sea Bears at Vancouver Bandits The schedule for CBC Sports’ CEBL Playoffs coverage will be announced at a later date. For the full 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League schedule, visit cebl.ca/schedule . Additional streaming will be available on CEBL+. Details on the league’s new playoff format are available at cebl.ca/playoffs , and ticket information can be found at cebl.ca/tickets .
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Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on August 3rd, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on July 25, 2025.