Vancouver Bandits Announce 2023 Training Camp Roster for 5th CEBL Season

Bandits Staff • May 14, 2023

LANGLEY, B.C., May 14, 2023 – The Vancouver Bandits announced Sunday its 2023 training camp roster ahead of the club’s upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season at Langley Events Centre (LEC). 


Vancouver’s roster features a total of 14 athletes; including six Canadian veterans, four Americans, one non-American overseas import and three U SPORTS development athletes.


Media availability to attend Bandits training camp has been scheduled for Friday, May 19 at 10:30 a.m. at LEC. Journalists interested in attending are kindly asked to RSVP to Andrew Savory (asavory@thebandits.ca) to request credentials. Accreditation will be required.


The group will be led by head coach and general manager Kyle Julius, who is returning to the CEBL sidelines for the first time since he led BC’s professional basketball team to the brink of championship glory in 2020 when the Bandits fell to the Edmonton Stingers in the Summer Series finals.


“We are all really excited about this year's training camp roster. The goal is to build a team the province of British Columbia can be proud of. We are committed to competitive greatness, toughness and playing together,” Julius said.

Name Height Pos City School
Giorgi Bezhanishvili 6'9" F Rustavi, Georgia Illinois
Alex Campbell 6'2" G Brampton, ON Windsor
Malcolm Duvivier 6'2" G Toronto, ON Akron
Shane Gibson * 6'2" G Killingly, CT Sacred Heart
Gus Goerzen * 6'6" G Roberts Creek, BC UBC Okanagan
Jaycee Hillsman 6'6" G Champaign, IL Illinois State
Stefan Jankovic 6'11" C Mississauga, ON Hawaii
Kur Jongkuch 6'9" F Juba, South Sudan Temple
Diego Maffia * 6'1" G Victoria, BC Victoria
Duane Notice 6'2" G Woodbridge, ON South Carolina
Grant Shephard 6'10" F Kelowna, BC Carleton
DJ Steward 6'2" G Chicago, IL Duke
Brian Wallack * 6'7" F Surrey, BC UBC
Nick Ward 6'9" F Gahanna, OH Michigan State

* Shane Gibson will arrive late to training camp



* Gus Goerzen, Diego Maffia and Brian Wallack are U SPORTS Development Athletes

A trio of sharpshooters are returning to LEC this summer; including Alex Campbell, Malcolm Duvivier and Shane Gibson. Together, the three guards nailed a combined 130 three-pointers last season on 316 attempts. The combined 41.1 per cent clip from long-range fueled the Bandits’ attack from distance. Both Duvivier and Gibson finished in the top five in league-leading three-point percentage. 2023 will be Campbell and Duvivier’s third and fourth season with the Bandits, respectively. Gibson will arrive late to training camp due to current obligations with his overseas club, TED Ankara in Turkey.


Giorgi Bezhanishvili, DJ Steward, Nick Ward each bring NBA G League and Summer League experience. A native of Rustavi, Georgia, Bezhanishvili is a mobile power forward that played for the College Park Skyhawks this past CEBL offseason and suited up for the Guelph Nighthawks in 2022. He averaged 15 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game on 53.2 per cent shooting from the field over seven CEBL regular season games last summer.


This upcoming season will be Ward’s second CEBL campaign after earning an all-star nod in 2021 with the Ottawa BlackJacks. Ward was named a member of the All-CEBL First Team after leading the BlackJacks in both points (17.3) and rebounds (9.1) per game.


Steward brings flash and scoring to the Bandits. Formerly a Duke Blue Devil, Steward played 28 games during the 2022-23 season for the Sacramento Kings’ G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings, averaging 12 points, 4.1 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game on 45.8 and 40.9 per cent shooting from field goal and three-point range, respectively. 


Two decorated Canadian NCAA Division I exports in Stefan Jankovic and Duane Notice bring poise and talent to the Bandits. Notice’s career has seen him earn Southeastern Conference sixth man of the year honours and has taken the 6-foot-2 guard to the NCAA Tournament Final Four, the Raptors 905 and the international stage with Canada’s senior men’s national team. Notice previously played two seasons with the Brampton Honey Badgers (then known as Hamilton) in 2019 and 2020. 


The CEBL’s fifth season marks Jankovic’s debut in the league. An elite 6-foot-11 sharpshooter, Jankovic left the University of Hawaii as the reigning Big West Conference player of the year and has since built an esteemed career that has seen him play at the highest levels of pro basketball; including the EuroLeague and EuroCup. His most recent stop was alongside Julius as former members of the Formosa Dreamers during the 2021-22 P.League+ season. In 12 games played with the Dreamers, Jankovic averaged 25.9 minutes, 18.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. 


Added size in the frontcourt arrives in the form of Kelowna’s own, Grant Shephard, and 6-foot-9 forward Kur Jongkuch. Shephard makes his first return to the Bandits since debuting as a U SPORTS development athlete in 2019 and now brings a hard-earned championship pedigree thanks to back-to-back U SPORTS national championships (2022, 2023) won at Carleton University. Jongkuch recently completed a five-year NCAA Division I career that saw him start 126 out of 151 games split between the University of Northern Colorado and Temple University.


Alongside Shephard, this year’s construction of the Bandits roster features three other local hoopers in 2023 CEBL U SPORTS Draft selections Diego Mafia from the University of Victoria and Brian Wallack from the University of British Columbia (UBC). Rounding out the local contingent is Gus Goerzen from UBC Okanagan, who signs as a U SPORTS Development Athlete.


Julius’ rosters have a reputation for their versatility and 2023’s training camp corps is no different. Champaign, Ill., bred Jaycee Hillsman brings his 6-foot-7 frame to the wing for the Bandits. Hillsman played three years at San José State before transferring to Illinois State for his final season of NCAA Division I basketball in 2019-20. Since turning pro, Hillsman is averaging 17.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game on 40.1 per cent shooting from three-point range over the course of 66 career games played in Finland, Hungary and the United Kingdom.


“We have established a culture of toughness and we have worked hard to bring in a gritty group of like-minded guys. We know we have a rocky mountain to climb and we can't wait to start,” Julius said.


The Bandits tip-off the 2023 CEBL campaign on Saturday, May 27 when the club takes on the Winnipeg Sea Bears at Canada Life Centre. Fans will have their first chance to watch the Bandits on home soil at 7 p.m. PT on Saturday, June 3 when Vancouver welcomes the Calgary Surge for its first-ever visit to LEC.


Single game tickets for the highly anticipated fifth season of Bandits Basketball are available for purchase at this link. Season tickets are available for purchase and can be accessed by clicking here.


A key highlight of Vancouver’s fifth CEBL campaign will be its hosting of Championship Weekend, which takes place between Friday, August 11 and Sunday, August 13. An annual celebration of the highest level of Canadian professional basketball, Championship Weekend features a postseason format that combines three games of playoff basketball as part of a multi-day festival experience designed to celebrate the intersection of arts, culture and sport. As hosts of Championship Weekend, the Bandits receive an automatic semifinal berth.


Individuals interested in learning more about tickets for the Vancouver Bandits’ 2023 season are kindly asked to call (604) 455-8881 or email tickets@thebandits.ca. A complete regular season schedule can be found by clicking here.


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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Bandits Pick Up Win Over Saskatoon, Secure Playoff Home Court Advantage

By Bandits Staff • July 26, 2026
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.

Former NBA Draft Pick Stephen Zimmerman Signs With Vancouver Bandits

By Bandits Staff • July 24, 2026
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.

Bandits Regain Top Spot in West after road win in Winnipeg

By Rois Chand • July 24, 2026
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Bandits Fall Short in Road Trip Opener Against Calgary

By Rois Chand • July 22, 2026
Tyrese Samuel’s ninth double-double of the season wasn't enough as the Vancouver Bandits fell 93-86 to the Calgary Surge on Tuesday night. Samuel poured in 20 points and 10 rebounds, but the Bandits’ shooting woes were the story of the game. “I expect it out of him, but expectations doesn't mean it will be easy. You still have to go out and do it,” said Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong about Samuel’s performance. The Bandits shot just 10-32 from beyond the arc while the Surge cashed in 14 of their 26 three point opportunities. Vancouver entered action with the second-best three point percentage in the league at 37.3%. Brempong mentioned tonight’s officiating, noting his team didn't have “control” over the game. “It’s frustrating when it’s not all in (the player’s) hands. There were some calls that were questionable,” said Brempong. The Bandits led by seven in the fourth quarter but watched their lead dwindle as the Surge went on a 21-7 run in the final seven minutes of the game. Vancouver led the game in bench points (34-25) and points in the paint (44-36), led by Jarkel Joiner’s 19 points. His 19.0 points per game this season lead the Bandits. Armani Chaney led the way for Calgary with 16 points and nine assists. Former Bandit Marlon Johnson Jr. put the final touches on the game when his three pointer was the game winner. Next, the Bandits will travel to Winnipeg for the second and final game of the road trip on Thursday. Brempong said his team is focused on finishing the season strong as they eye homecourt advantage in the playoffs. “We still control our destiny,” said Brempong. The Bandits (12-8) and the Sea Bears (13-7) are currently separated by one game for first place in the Western Conference. “We’re on a hunting expedition and we’ve got to find and hunt down the Sea Bears.”

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