Vancouver Bandits’ Comeback Falls Short in Season Opener Versus Winnipeg

Josh Kozelj • May 28, 2023

WINNIPEG, MB., May 27, 2023 – The Vancouver Bandits overcame a double-digit deficit to tie the game late, but were unable to close out a comeback attempt, falling 90-85 against the expansion Winnipeg Sea Bears in front of over 7,000 fans at a sold-out Canada Life Centre on Saturday evening. 


“We didn’t play the way we wanted to play until about six and a half minutes left in the game,” Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said. “So we have to adjust. It’s our first game, I’m proud of the fight.” 


Jelani Watson-Gayle, a native of London, England, racked up 22 points off the bench and played a pivotal role in securing the Sea Bears’ first CEBL win in franchise history. 


For the Bandits, DJ Steward tied a club record with 30 points in his first-ever game for British Columbia’s professional basketball team.


Both teams struggled to find a groove offensively in the first quarter. 


The Bandits and Sea Bears combined to shoot just 10-31 from the field in the first. However, Nick Ward was a formidable force and asserted himself early in the paint. With Vancouver struggling to get field goals to drop, Ward made all five of his free throws in the first quarter to give the Bandits a 17-15 lead after one. 


“Nick is a big body, he’s one of the best, if not the best big in the league,” said Sea Bears forward Chad Posthumus said. 


But Vancouver’s inability to make jump shots started to plague them in the second quarter. 


Vancouver failed to get a three-pointer to fall in the first half, while the Sea Bears—led by Watson-Gayle’s four first-half threes—jumped out to a six-point lead at the break. 


Simon Hildebrandt, the first overall pick at the CEBL U SPORTS Draft, played impactful minutes with Posthumus struggling with foul trouble. Hildebrandt scored five quick points in the third quarter to extend Winnipeg’s lead to 16 after three. 


“I missed my first couple shots of the game but my teammates just kept on telling me to shoot the ball,” Hildebrandt said. “They have faith in me and it was a huge confidence boost that they trust me.” 


Hildebrandt finished with 13 points and 4 rebounds in his CEBL debut. 


Trailing 80-67 heading into the Target Score period, Vancouver finally started to get shots to convert. The Bandits went on a 7-1 run to begin Target Score Time—highlighted by five straight points from Giorgi Bezhanishvili—to cut Winnipeg’s lead to seven. 


The Bandits used five of DJ Steward’s game-high 30 points in Target Score to briefly tie the game at 85. But then Winnipeg went on a 5-0 run punctuated by a Posthumus layup to seal the victory. 


Sea Bears Head Coach Michael Taylor said Winnipeg’s defence was crucial in stopping the Bandits’ late run. He added after the game that Watson-Gayle’s three was massive to shift momentum back on their side. 


“We were searching for a way to get good shots,” Taylor said. “We weren’t executing like we needed to, the guy’s hearts were in the right place. They were trying and then as luck would have it, the offensive rebound from Chad and the put-back ended the game.” 


Bezhanishvili had a double-double performance with 21 points and set a Bandits all-time single game record with 17 rebounds.


Vancouver’s next game of its two-game road trip is Wednesday, May 31 at 5 p.m. PT against the Saskatchewan Rattlers.


Bandits 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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