‘That is the ultimate goal’: Bandits ready to inspire local youth basketball players through latest community partnership
By: Grant Vassos • October 24, 2020
Three months removed from a remarkable turnaround that saw Fraser Valley jump from last place a season ago, to runners-up in this year's CEBL Summer Series Championship, the Bandits are now hoping to translate some of that excitement back into their community.
Basketball BC announced the Bandits as the official naming rights partner of the organization's youth basketball league(s), club championships, and 3x3 basketball development initiatives in an Oct. 8 news release.
The provincial sporting organization is also re-naming its under-12 and under-13 boys and girls basketball leagues – formerly known as the Metro League – to the Bandits Youth Basketball League (BYBL).
Connor Ranspot, the Manager of Youth Programs & Special Events for Basketball BC, is looking forward to having current and former Bandits coaches and players present at these programs in the future.
"Being able to show the kids that there is a local, professional option both as a team where the Bandits are and also we can say: look, here are professional players that actually grew up in BC, played in BC, came up in this system and have now gotten to the point where they are now professional players,” Ranspot said.
"Being able to see it and see it close to home, I think goes a long way with the kids in terms of inspiring them for the future.”
Ranspot joined Basketball BC last January and connected with the Bandits this past spring after the team showed interest in collaborating with the organization on potential youth basketball grassroots programs.
Among those programs will be the new addition of future 3x3 basketball tournaments. 3x3 is a smaller, fast-paced adaptation of the traditional 5-on-5 basketball format with 10-minute games and a 12-second shot clock. Teams also play with one hoop in a half-court setting and are allowed to have three players on the court and a bench player to substitute.
Much like what rugby sevens is to rugby, and futsal is to soccer, Ranspot says these types of short, small-sided games are where the sports world, especially for youth, appears to be moving towards. 3x3 basketball is considered the fastest growing urban team sport, according to FIBA 3x3.
"It's great from a youth development perspective because it gives (kids) more touches on the ball. It's way less likely that there will be one kid on the court that doesn't get to see the ball a lot or doesn't get to be super involved," Ranspot said.
"And then from an event perspective, three-on-three tournaments can really be a fun, festival style and cultural event, which is what we are hoping to establish."
Although Ranspot hopes this announcement will be the latest step in generating some buzz for both the Bandits and Basketball BC in the eyes of basketball communities across Canada, inspiring the next generation of young basketball players becomes the next challenge.
"That is the ultimate goal: to create more and better pathways for youth basketball in BC,” Ranspot said.
Scheduling and organizing leagues and tournaments has grown increasingly uncertain due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the uncertainty, Ranspot said that the Bandits and Basketball BC are actively working to define future 3x3 tournaments in greater detail and to plan proper procedures and health guidelines for the Bandits Youth Basketball League (BYBL) and Basketball BC Club Championships.
Basketball BC hopes to host its provincial club championships early next spring or next summer.
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A season-high 25 points from Shamar Givance wasn’t enough as the Vancouver Bandits came up short in the final road game of the season. The Montreal Alliance defeated the Bandits 87-82 on Tuesday night, a game where three Bandits recorded their highest point totals of the season. Along with his 25 points, Givance also added eight rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes of action. “He was the definition of a warrior tonight,” said Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong. Givance, who came off the bench, took a bulk of the guard minutes after leading scorer Jarkel Joiner exited the game in the first half. “He picked up 94 feet and he went over every screen. It’s commendable. That’s why we brought Shamar here for the effort he gives,” said Brempong. Stephen Zimmerman in just his second game with Vancouver recorded 13 points and six rebounds. Jarrell Eddie scored a season-high 17 points and notched his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. “Certain guys were thrust into positions they’re not normally in and that’s growth,” said Brempong. Both teams struggled offensively, particularly outside the paint, but what they lacked in offence was made up by their defence. The Bandits shot 9-33 from beyond the arc, and the Alliance cashed in on just 11 of the 32 three point opportunities. The Bandits recorded seven blocks and six steals, while the Alliance recorded four blocks and six steals. Montreal native Tyrese Samuel recorded 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. He played just 22 minutes after picking up two early fouls in the first quarter. No Canadian player has scored more points than Tyrese Samuel’s 358 points this season. Neither team separated themselves as the game stayed close for all four quarters. The largest lead of the game was eight, which belonged to Montreal. Vancouver exploded in the third quarter and outscored Montreal 27-17, yet their scoring wouldn’t translate to the fourth quarter. The Bandits offence lacked consistency all night, scoring just 16 points in the final frame. Quincy Guerrier led the Alliance with 26 points and seven rebounds. The Bandits will head home for the final game of the regular season against the Winnipeg Sea Bears. The Bandits (14-9) currently sit top of the Western Conference while the Sea Bears (13-10) sit in second place. “The mission is still the same.”
Five players were in double figures as the Vancouver Bandits defeated the Saskatoon Mamba 104-97 on Saturday night. The Bandits led for the entirety of the game, leading by as many as 17 points. Vancouver now sits atop of the Western Conference at 14-8, topping the Winnipeg Sea Bears (13-9). This win also secured home court advantage in the playoffs for the Bandits, who will officially begin the postseason on Thursday, August 6 at 7:00 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Tevin Brown led the Bandits in scoring with 23 points and seven three pointers made. “My teammates did a good job of getting me open,” said Brown. “They just let me play my game. (We) play a fast-paced offence and that’s where I thrive.” James Karnik followed with 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Bandits jumped out to an early 31-15 lead as Brown scored 11 of his 23 points in the first quarter. The Mamba went on a 29-21 run in the second quarter to cut the lead to 52-44 by halftime. Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong applauded his team for their resilience in the wire-to-wire win, even as the lead dwindled. “They might fight back but (we) still have to stay aggressive,” said Brempong. “Credit to Saskatoon. They made their run, but I’m more proud of the team and the resilience they’ve shown during the last handful of games.” All 11 players who played tonight recorded a made basket. Former NBA draft pick Stephen Zimmerman made his Bandits debut, recording two points and four rebounds in just three minutes of action. “It’s going to take everybody. Whether you come off the bench, I don’t care. Be strong enough that you affect the game and you impact winning,” said Brempong. Brempong said the Bandits are still bought into the mentality of being “on the hunt”, despite being first in the Western Conference. Brempong also said they can’t take their recent success for granted. “Don’t let it lull you to sleep. You still have to stay sharp,” he said. A layup from Shamar Givance won the game for the Bandits in target time. He finished with nine points and eight assists. Next, the Bandits will head on the road for a matchup with the Montreal Alliance on Tuesday, before wrapping up the season at home against the Winnipeg Sea Bears.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that the club has signed former NBA draft selection and decorated overseas champion Stephen Zimmerman for the remainder of the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 7-foot centre hailing from Las Vegas, Nev., Zimmerman was selected 41st overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2016 NBA Draft and appeared in 19 games as a rookie. With the signing, Zimmerman becomes the first-ever NBA draft selection to sign with the Bandits. “Zimmerman brings additional size to our team and experience from the highest levels of the game around the world,” said Bandits general manager Kyle Julius. “His signing is part of our strategic plan to ensure we have a strong roster to compete in the CEBL playoffs.” A veteran of 10 professional seasons, Zimmerman most recently played for Gigantes de San Francisco in the Dominican Republic during the 2025-26 season where he helped lead the club to a Dominican LNB championship. He also earned championships in the Czech Republic, guiding ERA Nymburk to both a Czech Cup and Czech NBL title in 2021. His journeyman career overseas includes previous stops in Germany, Poland, Australia, Japan, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Malaysia and China. In addition, Zimmerman played parts of four NBA G League seasons with the Orlando Magic’s affiliate (Erie Bayhawks, now Osceola Magic) in 2016-17, the Los Angeles Lakers’ affiliate (South Bay Lakers) in 2017-18, the New York Knicks’ affiliate (Westchester Knicks) in 2018-19, and San Antonio Spurs’ affiliate (Austin Spurs) in 2022-23. Internationally, Zimmerman represents the United States. He competed for his country at the senior level at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup and 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, and won a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in 2014. Before playing professionally, Zimmerman played one season of NCAA DI basketball for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). As a freshman, he started 24 of 26 games played and averaged 26.2 minutes, 10.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocked shots per game while shooting .477 per cent from the field.
WINNIPEG, MB - July 23, 2026 - The Vancouver Bandits are back in the win column after a second half comeback against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on Thursday night. The Bandits defeated the Sea Bears 92-77 to take them atop of the Western Conference, now tied with the Sea Bears at 13-8. “For the past two years, we’ve been in first place and we’ve been hunted. We’re the hunters this time around,” said Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong. Vancouver trailed for most of the game, and by as many as 14 points, before exploding in the final 20 minutes of the game. The Bandits shot just one-for-seven from three point range in the first half. “We’ll make mistakes but keep the game close and see if we can steal it, which is what we did.” Vancouver’s defence stepped up in the second half, holding Winnipeg’s best stars to a rough shooting night. Isiah Osborne, who averages 12.9 points, was held to four points on two-for-eight field goal shooting, while Emmanuel Akot made just one field goal for four points. CEBL scoring leader Teddy Allen scored 26 points, but he took 22 shots to do it and committed four turnovers. Jarkel Joiner’s 24 points once again led the Bandits. He also recorded three assists and two steals. “He’s quick and he’s strong,” said Sea Bears head coach Mike Raimbault about Jarkel Joiner. Joiner said there’s a “fight” within the team, especially with a close schedule remaining. “We know we’re fighting for homecourt advantage,” he said Bremprong praised the Bandits for sticking together in an unorthodox season. “This team is extremely resilient,” said Brempong about the Bandits’ second comeback win in three games. “The year has already thrown punches. We got thrown into the fire, but the fire is also a place where iron gets sharpened.” The paint was dominated by the Bandits as they scored 62 of their 92 points in the paint, including countless ferocious dunks from Tyrese Samuel and James Karnik. Rookie big man Dominic Parolin also poured in seven points, eight rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes of action. “We got those guys because they’re big boys and they’re Canadian,” said Brempong. Tied at 70 heading into the fourth, Tevin Brown was the answer Vancouver needed, scoring 10 of his 12 points in the final frame. Brown’s play catapulted a 22-7 scoring run in the fourth quarter to clinch the win. A putback layup by Karnik was the game winner. He finished with a season-high 17 points and season-high 12 rebounds. “To slay a Sea Bear isn't easy,” said Brempong. The Bandits will return home for a quick one game home stand on Saturday against the Saskatoon Mamba at 6 p.m. Tickets can be found at thebandits.ca . “Every game is a new challenge.”
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