Tazé Moore, Koby McEwen Highlight Winners at 2024 CEBL Awards

Bandits Staff • August 8, 2024

Kyle Julius named Coach of the Year as four Bandits honoured at awards show in Montréal

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced the winners of the 2024 CEBL Awards and the All-CEBL Teams at an event at Le Centre Sheraton Montréal on Wednesday evening. The Vancouver Bandits had three winners, including guard Tazé Moore who took home top honours as Most Valuable Player, while guard Koby McEwen was named Canadian Player of the Year and Kyle Julius earned Coach of the Year honours.


The full list of award winners is as follows:


2024 CEBL Award Winners

Most Valuable Player: Tazé Moore (Vancouver Bandits)

Canadian Player of the Year: Koby McEwen (Vancouver Bandits)

Coach of the Year: Kyle Julius (Vancouver Bandits)

Sixth Man of the Year: Aaryn Rai (Niagara River Lions)

Developmental Player of the Year: Simon Hildebrandt (Winnipeg Sea Bears)

Defensive Player of the Year: Lloyd Pandi (Ottawa BlackJacks)

Clutch Player of the Year (Co-Winners): Tevin Brown (Ottawa), Stefan Smith (Calgary Surge)

Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award: Vernon Bovell


All CEBL award winners will receive a customized ring from Jostens, the official Supplier of Awards and Rings of the CEBL, and a special gift on behalf of the league’s partner at Foot Locker.


In his first CEBL season, Moore made major contributions in numerous stat categories for the Bandits, finishing first in league average in assists (7.3), third in rebounds (8.1), fourth in steals (1.6) and 10th in points per game (17.6). His 124 total assists were the second-most in a single season in CEBL history and he became the first player to record two triple-doubles in the same regular season. The 6-foot-5 guard’s first triple-double on June 13 was the first in Bandits’ history and part of a historic night that saw Moore score a franchise-record 35 points, while adding 16 rebounds and 11 assists in a win over Winnipeg.


McEwen led the CEBL in three-pointers made per game (tie-3.4), was second in total three-pointers made (54), fifth in three-point percentage (44.3), and ranked fourth among Canadians in total points (295), all of which were career highs. The Toronto native’s career season for the Bandits also included personal bests in average points per game (18.4), field goals made (5.9), free throw percentage (88.3), offensive rebounds (1.2), rebounds (tie-4.8), steals (1.2) and blocked shots (0.5).


Julius was named CEBL Coach of the Year after leading Vancouver to its best record in franchise history (14-6) and a first-place overall finish for the first time. The Bandits went near-perfect at home (9-1) and posted a league-best plus-177 overall point differential, nearly 50 points better than the next closest team.


Rai appeared in all 20 games for the River Lions in 2024, averaging 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 24.2 minutes per game, and was tied for third in the league with three Target Score Winners. Despite primarily coming off the bench for Niagara, the 6-foot-6 forward ranked in the top three or four in numerous major stat categories for the team.


Hildebrandt took home the Developmental Player of the Year award (formerly named U SPORTS Player of the Year) for the second consecutive season. He appeared in all 20 games for the Sea Bears in 2024, averaging 5.3 points and 3.2 rebounds. The Winnipeg native broke out for 19 points, seven rebounds and five three-pointers on July 20 against rival Saskatchewan.


Pandi set a single-season CEBL record with 44 steals in 2024 for the BlackJacks, good enough for 2.3 steals per game – a half steal ahead of the next closest eligible player. The Ottawa native also averaged 3.8 defensive rebounds, 5.7 total rebounds, and nearly a block per game (0.7) this season, while contributing on the offensive end with averages of 11.9 points and 2.8 assists in 19 games. He is a previous two-time winner of the U SPORTS Player of the Year award (now named Developmental Player of the Year) in 2020 and 2021.


For the first time in league history, there was co-winners of the Clutch Player of the Year award presented annually to the player with the most Target Score Winners. Ottawa’s Tevin Brown and Calgary’s Stefan Smith shared the league lead in Target Score Winners with four apiece this season.


Bovell took home the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award, presented to the official who best embodies the CEBL’s goal of development of the sport of basketball in Canada by both maintaining a high level of performance and personal improvement, while also elevating their teammates and the league as a whole. The official must foster a work environment that promotes communication, good sportsmanship and celebrates the differences that make up the mosaic of the sport of basketball.


The 2024 All-CEBL First, Second, and All-Canadian Teams were also revealed at the CEBL Awards:


All CEBL First Team: Tazé Moore (Vancouver Bandits), Justin Wright-Foreman (Winnipeg Sea Bears), Cat Barber (Scarborough Shooting Stars), Khalil Ahmad (Niagara River Lions), Nick Ward (Vancouver Bandits)


All CEBL Second Team: Jahvon Blair (Niagara River Lions), Koby McEwen (Vancouver Bandits), Teddy Allen (Saskatchewan Rattlers), Jalen Harris (Saskatchewan Rattlers), Chris Smith (Montréal Alliance)


CEBL All-Canadian Team: Jahvon Blair (Niagara River Lions), Koby McEwen (Vancouver Bandits), Sean Miller-Moore (Calgary Surge), Mathieu Kamba (Calgary Surge), Brody Clarke (Edmonton Stingers)


Award nominees, winners and All-CEBL First, Second, and All-Canadian Teams are determined by votes cast by the league’s head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters, and internal media personnel. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team.


The CEBL Awards was the first official event of 2024 Championship Weekend (CW24), which is being held in Montréal, QC between August 7-11. The Conference Final doubleheader is set for Friday, August 9 at Verdun Auditorium, kicking off with the West’s Calgary Surge and Vancouver Bandits at 5:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. PT), followed by the East’s Montréal Alliance and Niagara River Lions at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). The winners then square off Sunday, August 11 at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT) in the CEBL Championship Final at Verdun Auditorium. For full details on the CEBL’s playoff format and 2024 matchups, please visit https://www.cebl.ca/playoffs.


The Championship Final halftime show will be performed by multi-platinum and award-winning recording artist Fefe Dobson, while Montréal-based award-winning rapper, FouKi, and Laval-based award-winning French rapper, Shreez, will perform at the Conference Finals. Ticket and event information is available at cebl.ca/cw24.


All CW24 games will be televised live on TSN and RDS in Canada, NLSE in the United States, and available to stream on CEBL+, TSN+ and Courtside 1891 for subscribers outside North America.


All 2024 CEBL playoff games will be televised live on TSN in Canada and NLSE in the United States, and available to stream on CEBL+, TSN+ and Courtside 1891 for subscribers outside North America. 


Featuring newly added Courtside Club seating options and a revamped seating bowl configuration, season tickets for the Vancouver Bandits’ 2025 season are on sale now at this link. Fans are invited to capitalize on limited time early bird pricing on season tickets until Aug. 16. 


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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By Bandits Staff • July 28, 2025
The Vancouver Bandits are set to close out the 2025 CEBL regular season with a bang. As part of Fan Appreciation Night on Saturday, August 3rd, Bandits guard and social media sensation Tristan Jass returns to Langley Events Centre for the Tristan Jass $10,000 Halfcourt Shootout . Four lucky fans in attendance will be randomly selected to participate in the competition at halftime against Jass. The last shooter standing takes home $10,000. Event Format: Four fans are drawn from the crowd in the first half. At halftime, each fan takes a shot from halfcourt, followed by Tristan Jass to end the round. If no one scores, they go again. If one person hits, they win the cash. If multiple fans hit, only those who made it advance to the next round. Repeat until one winner remains. Entry Rules: Must be in attendance and hold a valid ticket. If your seat is drawn, you can shoot or nominate someone from your ticket group. All participants must sign a media release waiver before participating. The Bandits, who clinched a playoff berth on July 13 , host the Winnipeg Sea Bears in a tight race for playoff positioning. Fans can expect a sellout crowd with post-season implications on the line, marking one of the most crucial matchups of the season. The Tristan Jass $10,000 Halfcourt Shootout is one of the many additions to what is shaping up to be the Bandits’ most electric night of the year. Pre-game activities begin with the Bandits Backyard BBQ starting at 3 p.m. outside Langley Events Centre , featuring $1 hot dogs, live music, an inflatable kids play area, a sign making station and a beer garden for fans 19 and over. Tip-off takes place at 5 p.m. and single game tickets are available for purchase by following this link . Jass, who appeared in two preseason games for the Bandits on May 8 and 10 respectively, has been placed on the Bandits’ Suspended List since July 1, 2025 as a result of the CEBL’s Import player limitations, restricting clubs to a maximum of four Import (non-Canadian) players on an Active Roster at a time. His “ YouTuber to Pro Hooper ” web series, documenting his day-to-day experience playing with the club, has garnered over 1.2 million views on YouTube. ### For Vancouver Bandits media inquiries, please contact: Senior Manager, Brand & Communications, Justin Sulpico, media@thebandits.ca , 604-626-8513 About Vancouver Bandits The Vancouver Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Bandits offer an entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue at Langley Events Centre (LEC).  About the CEBL: A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ , TSN, TSN+, RDS , Game+ and Next Level Sports & Entertainment . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .

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By Dillon White • July 27, 2025
A few friendly bounces at the rim made all the difference for the Calgary Surge in a tense battle against rival Vancouver on Friday night (July 25). With the game on the line in Target Score Time at WinSport Events Centre, Calgary guard Evan Gilyard Jr. launched a deep three that rattled in after a few tense moments. It was Gilyard’s first triple of the game, but it lifted the Surge past the Bandits 98-96. The Surge have now swept the regular season series against the top-ranked Bandits, with both teams already locked into playoff spots in the Western Conference. The intensity of Friday’s contest mimicked a postseason showdown. Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said the group executed the game plan on both ends of the floor with togetherness and championship poise. “We felt we had a great week of practice. We knew this was a heavyweight fight. We have a lot of respect for that team but I love our team and I love our squad and I love where we’re at,” Canales said. Both teams saw the return of NBA Summer League talent, with Vancouver’s Tyrese Samuel and Calgary’s Jameer Nelson Jr. making an impact after their time in Las Vegas. Nelson Jr. netted 21 points, including 15 in the first half, while tallying six rebounds, six assists and four steals. “[Jameer] was playing both ends at an … elite level. We absolutely love him and he was making plays when it was time to make plays,” Canales said. Sean Miller-Moore and Greg Brown III also had standout performances in the win. Miller-Moore dropped a game-high 27 points and hauled in eight rebounds, while Brown III notched a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double. Meanwhile, Samuel finished with a team-high 26 points for Vancouver on 12-15 shooting. He said he could’ve done better on the boards, but was happy with his return to the lineup overall. “It feels good to be back out there with the guys. Obviously, today wasn't the result we wanted but we're just gonna go back to the drawing board and just be ready for the playoffs,” Samuel said. Aussie big man Mitch Creek was also a force in the frontcourt with 25 points and 13 rebounds in the loss, while Kyle Mangas added 12 off the bench in his second game back from NBA Summer League. After three consecutive games with at least 15 threes, the Bandits cooled down on Friday with eight from long range at a 29 per cent clip. Calgary also capitalized on 18 Vancouver turnovers with 25 points. “Some turnovers and giving them some easy offensive rebounds I think was part of the problem for sure,” Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said. The range of talent for both squads was on full display in the early stages of the game. The Bandits and Surge each started hot before the pace slowed. A catch-and-shoot triple from Corey Davis Jr. gave the Bandits their first lead at 16-14, and they stayed ahead 25-22 after 10 minutes. Vancouver extended its lead to nine in the second quarter following inside finishes from Creek, Zach Copeland, Samuel and a three from Davis Jr. However, Nelson Jr. willed the Surge back into the game with 11 points in the quarter. He showed off his complete game as well, stealing the rock on defence before dishing to Brown III in transition for a massive slam. After trailing for the entire second quarter, Calgary tied it up heading into the locker room with a buzzer-beating putback from Javonté Brown. Miller-Moore regained the lead for the Surge to kick off the third quarter with a transition dunk. Calgary locked in defensively for the remainder of the frame, limiting the high-powered Bandits' offence to just 18 points. Brown III added to his highlight reel late in the quarter, spinning for a left-handed dunk on Kur Jongkuch that put him on the free throw line as well. Down four points entering the final quarter, Creek and Samuel went to work inside for Vancouver. The frontcourt duo combined for 17 points before Target Score Time to knot the game at 87, but Brown III finished a putback to give Calgary a two-point advantage heading into the final stretch. The bigs continued to duel in Target Score Time, with Samuel opening the scoring before Brown III showed his versatility, connecting on back-to-back threes and rejecting Creek on the other end. Calgary missed multiple shots for the win, and Samuel added another layup before fouling out. A putback from Creek vaulted Vancouver back in front at 96-95, putting both teams a bucket away from victory. On the following possession, Gilyard did his best Kawhi Leonard impression to win the game with a deep three that needed multiple bounces before dropping. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600650

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