Vancouver Bandits Drop Heartbreaker to Calgary Surge on Indigenous Celebration Night

Gary Ahjua • Jun 26, 2023

LANGLEY, B.C., June 25, 2023 – A tough first-half proved too much to overcome for the Vancouver Bandits and left head coach Kyle Julius with more questions than answers.


Calgary was playing its third game in five days while travelling from Ontario to B.C., but was able to edge past the Bandits as Vancouver fell 93-88 to the visiting Surge in Canadian Elite Basketball League action at Langley Events Centre on Sunday.



Vancouver trailed by as many 22 points in those opening 20 minutes and while they did manage to pull off a second-half rally to cut the deficit down to six points heading into the Elam Ending – and tying the score on two separate occasions during Target Score time – they could not find the defensive stop they needed with Calgary scoring the final five points.


The win was the first in three head-to-head meetings for Calgary, which improved to 7-5. The Bandits lost for a second straight-game and saw their record slip to 4-6.


And while Julius does not know what happened the first half, he did say that the players know it was unacceptable.


“There are a few guys that really need to look in the mirror. In pro basketball, with the way we provide the resources for these guys to get ready to play, we finally had a few days of practice to get ready before and the way some of our guys showed up not ready to play today is flat-out unacceptable,” Julius said post-game.


“We have to sort some things out with guys individually. Some guys haven’t been coming ready to play, haven’t been anywhere near their potential. We have to sort that out and deal with that.”

Vancouver could not find any offensive rhythm in that first half as they made just one of their 14 three-point attempts. Nick Ward was the lone Bandit to make multiple field goals in the opening 20 minutes, as he was 6-for-7 from the field and scored 14 of his team’s 27 points. 


But while Ward was shooting a high percentage, the rest of the Bandits were off in the first half, especially from beyond the arc as the team struggled, making just one of their 14 attempts, as they trailed 46-27 heading into the locker room.


The team did find some offensive traction in the second half, cutting the deficit down to as low as seven points early in the fourth quarter, but for every run they put together, the Surge had an answer. The Bandits did twice tie the score during Target Score time but would get no closer.


Ward scored 14 points in each half and finished with a game-high 28 points and 16 rebounds while fellow Bandits big man Giorgi Bezhanishvili had a dominant second half, scoring 24 of his 26 points after halftime and also hauling down 10 rebounds, dishing out four assists, while also getting three steals and a blocked shot.


Another bright spot for the Bandits was Diego Maffia. After playing limited minutes these past few games – and just 2:57 in the first half – the point guard was a factor down the stretch, scoring 12 points and dishing out three assists.


Julius pointed out that Vancouver had six assists and nine turnovers at the half but finished the game with 15 assists and just 11 turnovers. 


“He has a very calming effect. Probably our best guy as far as just getting us into our offence and helping our team get into the right spots and execute. Plus, he is also a shot-maker so the defence has to respect him,” the coach said of his U SPORTS guard. 


Ward, Bezhanishvili and Maffia were the only three Bandits to crack double figures in scoring. By comparison, five Calgary players scored 10 or more points, led by Sean Miller-Moore’s 23 – including the Target Score winning hoop – while Admon Gilder Jr. scored 18. Stefan Smith directed the offence with 13 points and a dozen assists and Kylor Kelly also chipped in with 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.


Calgary entered the game with four losses in their previous five contests and coming off the aforementioned stretch of three games in three cities over a five-day span.


“Our guys just fought,” said Surge coach Nelson Terroba, adding that the coaching staff made the decision to give the players the morning off, cancelling both the walkthrough and shootaround.

“It wasn’t easy. A lead helps, but at the same time, this league is relentless and I say that in a very complimentary way. There are no nights off in this league, there are no possessions off in this league. We expected them to come back and they did.”


“It was more a testament to the guys. Tired legs, rested legs, at the end of the day, it is a commitment to winning and doing what you need to do to get the job done and our guys had that commitment tonight,” he added.


Up next for the Bandits is a Canada Day home game on Hoops and Heroes Night as they welcome the Edmonton Stingers (5-5) to Langley Events Centre. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. PT for a 7 p.m. tip-off.


It is the start of a home-and-home series between the two Western Conference rivals as they will head to Edmonton on July 3 for the rematch. Single game tickets for the fifth season of Bandits Basketball are available for purchase at this link.


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.

LATEST NEWS

Vancouver Bandits and Preston Chevrolet Renew Partnership for the 2024 CEBL Season

By Bandits Staff • 03 May, 2024
The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that one of the province’s largest General Motors dealerships, Preston Chevrolet, has renewed its dedication to supporting Canadian professional basketball by extending its community and marketing partnership with the Bandits for the 2024 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. Vancouver Bandits and Preston Chevrolet have been partners since the Vancouver Bandits made their debut at the Langley Events Centre in 2022. The focus of Preston Chevrolet’s partnership with BC’s professional basketball team is to contribute to the game day experience at the home venue, the Langley Events Centre (LEC), while supporting their additional community outreach programs. This support includes initiatives such as; the Community Champion program, Vancouver Bandits’ school visits, and community event attendance throughout the province powered by the Vancouver Bandits’ Community Cruiser proudly supplied by Preston Chevrolet. Since 2022, Preston Chevrolet has supported the Community Champion program where community teams from across the region have experienced Vancouver Bandits basketball in the Preston Players’ Lounge at Langley Events Centre. The community Champion program allowed hundreds of at-risk youths to get the opportunity to attend Vancouver Bandits games; an opportunity that many would not receive otherwise. With the support of Preston Chevrolet, from November 2023 to February 2024; the Vancouver Bandits head coach & general manager Kyle Julius visited 81 middle school and high schools across the province. The purpose of these visits was to support middle school and high school basketball programs with complimentary coaching and player development. “Our community partnership with the Bandits has been outstanding from the start. Both our organizations believe in the value and accessibility of sports, particularly team sports for youth and families in our communities” said Peter Heppner of Preston Chevrolet. Preston Chevrolet has been a family-owned and operated business in Langley since 1965. Purchased from the Preston family in 2006 Peter and son (Leigh Heppner) continue the long-standing commitment to supporting the communities they serve. “The moment we committed to Langley Events Centre in 2022 we were made aware of Peter Heppner and Preston Chevrolet’s commitment to giving back to the community. It was more than just marketing for Peter and Preston Chevrolet, it was about finding ways for Vancouver Bandits basketball to execute programming that provided youth in our community with accessible opportunities. Peter Heppner, Leigh Heppner, and the entire team at Preston Chevrolet have embraced Vancouver Bandits basketball with open arms, enabling us to strengthen our community and bring us together through basketball. We are excited to continue our partnership for a third consecutive season.” Bandits team president Dylan Kular said. 

Vancouver Bandits Sign Former Santa Clara Bronco Josip Vrankic

By Bandits Staff • 02 May, 2024
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-9 forward and former Santa Clara University Bronco Josip Vrankic for its upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season at Langley Events Centre (LEC). A native of Toronto, Ont., Josip is currently playing for Gipuzkoa in the LEB Oro, the second highest division of professional basketball in Spain, which as a nation boasts the second best national team FIBA ranking in the world behind the United States. The 2023-24 campaign in progress is Vrankic’s second professional season after playing five decorated seasons of NCAA Division I basketball at Santa Clara between 2017-22, the alma mater of Victoria, B.C. product and NBA Hall of Famer Steve Nash. Vrankic will report to Vancouver upon the conclusion of his current season in Spain. "I am excited to join the Bandits family and to be part of a group that is focused on winning and growing together. I have heard great things about the fanbase in Vancouver and I am looking forward to a special season," Vrankic said. Vancouver’s highly anticipated home opener is on Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m. PT against the Montréal Alliance. Single game tickets for the home opener and all regular season games are on sale now at this link . Vrankic is enjoying another solid season early in his professional career; posting averages of 22.4 minutes, 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game on 34.4 per cent shooting from three-point range over the course of 32 games played with Gipuzkoa. Last year he made his pro debut with Chieti, where he placed first on the club in rebounds (8.0) and second in points per game (14.9) in 17 games played before signing with Ravenna to finish the 2022-23 season. Prior to turning pro, Vrankic appeared in 137 games for the Broncos, starting 131 – a program record. His 1,817 career points place him third in school history while his 801 rebounds place him eighth. Vrankic punctuated his illustrious Division I career by earning four consecutive West Coast Conference (WCC) selections; including back-to-back first team recognition in 2021 and 2022. “Josip is a very high IQ basketball player with great versatility. He can really shoot and play inside. We think he is a great fit for our group and we really look forward to him becoming part of our family,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. Vancouver will play a total of 10 regular season home games in 2024 between Thursday, May 23 and Thursday, July 18. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road against Montréal on Sunday, July 28 at 1 p.m. PT. All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on TSN+, as well as the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+ , and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices). Individuals interested in ticket flexibility or purchasing a bundle of tickets are invited to consider a flex pack or season tickets . More information can be found at thebandits.ca/tickets or by speaking with a Bandits representative by calling (604) 455-8881 or emailing 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 .

Vancouver Bandits and FortisBC Renew Partnership for the 2024 CEBL Season

By Bandits Staff • 30 Apr, 2024
The Vancouver Bandits announced Tuesday that the province’s largest energy provider, FortisBC Energy Inc. (FortisBC) , has renewed its dedication to supporting Canadian professional basketball by extending its community and marketing partnership with the Bandits for the 2024 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. The focus of FortisBC’s partnership with British Columbia’s professional basketball team is to contribute to the game day experience at Vancouver’s home venue of the Langley Events Centre (LEC) and to support basketball communities throughout British Columbia through the Indigenous Basketball Collective program’s youth clinics, officiating clinics and coaching clinics. Through Indigenous Basketball Collective, FortisBC and Vancouver Bandits previously built outdoor basketball courts that now serve as new recreational hubs for local youth in four Indigenous communities across the province and have hosted youth basketball clinics for Indigenous youth. “Our support for the Vancouver Bandits is an example of FortisBC’s commitment to the communities where we live and work,” said Doug Slater, vice-president of Indigenous relations and regulatory affairs at FortisBC. “We have made great strides with the Bandits in building safe basketball facilities for Indigenous youth across the province and look forward to our continued work together.” FortisBC believes strongly in being an active partner with communities and supports many community-based initiatives and organizations throughout British Columbia each year. Since 2022, the goal of the Indigenous Basketball Collective has been to create increased opportunities for Indigenous players, coaches and others involved in basketball to participate in training camps, competitions, workshops and more. “According to I∙SPARC, basketball is the most popular sport amongst Indigenous youth in this province and through the Indigenous Basketball Collective we can support the basketball ecosystem in British Columbia. FortisBC has been a pillar partner for the Collective since 2022 and their support of the Collective has seen hundreds of youth attend camps and dozens of new coaches and officials added into the basketball ecosystem. Their support of basketball goes beyond supporting the professional basketball club in this province and we are grateful for their support.” Bandits team president Dylan Kular said. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok , as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter .

World-renowned Recording Artist Sharry Mann to Perform at Vancouver Bandits June 1st South Asian Heritage Game

By Bandits Staff • 30 Apr, 2024
The Vancouver Bandits announced Tuesday that internationally celebrated vocalist and actor Sharry Mann will perform at Langley Events Centre (LEC) on Saturday, June 1 when the Bandits host the visiting Calgary Surge for the club’s first-ever South Asian Heritage Game. Exclusive to ticketholders for the Bandits’ game day, Mann will delight Bandits fans in attendance with two performances on June 1st; including a pre-game concert in the arena bowl and a half-time show during the intermission between the second and third quarters of gameplay. Fans in attendance are kindly encouraged to arrive prior to 7 p.m. PT to ensure that they have time to find parking (free on-site at LEC) and locate their seats before Mann’s performance, which will be shortly after the top of the hour before the Bandits and Surge tip-off at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for Mann’s highly anticipated concert; which is included in the cost of a Bandits game ticket, are on sale now at this link . Admission to the concert and game are combined and start at $27.50 per ticket. All ticket prices are inclusive of taxes and fees. A world-renowned artist famous for his appearances and chart-topping hits in Punjabi music and film, Mann has amassed hundreds of millions of plays on YouTube and Spotify ; including tracks such as ‘3 Peg’ (800+ million plays on YouTube, 50+ million Spotify streams) and Hostel (250+ million plays on YouTube, 13+ million Spotify streams). Mann’s success has paved the way for the talented artist to be recognized globally. Recent recognition includes winning best music video at the Brit Asia TV Music Awards for ‘Yaar Chadeya’ in 2019, as well as having various tracks appear in the Top 40 of the Britain’s Official Charts . The June 1st Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) match-up between Vancouver and Calgary will be the first time that the Western Conference foes have met since Calgary inched past Vancouver in last year’s Western Conference Finals. Adding to the game’s excitement is the debut of the Bandits’ South Asian Heritage jersey, designed by Sandeep Johal to be worn by Vancouver at the game to honour and celebrate the culture and artistry of South Asia. “I am thrilled to welcome Sharry Mann and his management to Langley Events Centre for what will surely be one of the most exciting games of the 2024 CEBL season. Fans in attendance will be treated to two awesome musical performances courtesy of Sharry as well as a must-watch rematch against our rivals from Calgary,” said Bandits team president Dylan Kular. Vancouver will play a total of 10 regular season home games in 2024 between Thursday, May 23 and Thursday, July 18. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road against Montréal on Sunday, July 28 at 1 p.m. PT. All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on TSN+, as well as the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+ , and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices). Individuals interested in ticket flexibility or purchasing a bundle of tickets are invited to consider a flex pack or season tickets . More information can be found at thebandits.ca/tickets or by speaking with a Bandits representative by calling (604) 455-8881 or emailing 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 .

LATEST VIDEO

Provincial Coaches Clinic Featuring: Kyle Julius, Allison & Mike McNeill

By Bandits Staff • 24 Jan, 2024
A provincial coaches clinic co-hosted by the Vancouver Bandits and Basketball BC featuring Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius and Canada Basketball coaching alumni Allison and Mike McNeill. Please watch a full video recap of the event by clicking above or scroll to the desired chapter by hovering your cursor over the video timeline. A breakdown of chapters from the coaching clinic has been included below for reference. 0:00:00 - Allison McNeill and Mike McNeill Introductions 0:01:56 - Warmup 0:11:38 - Individual Shooting Drills 0:26:49 - Inside/Outside Drill 0:39:20 - Post Drill 0:42:42 - Perimeter Iso Drill 0:55:05 - Passing Drill 0:59:54 - 2x2x2 Drill 1:06:09 - 1-on-1 building up to 4-on-4 drills 1:18:57 - Spacing Drills 1:23:45 - Allison McNeill and Mike McNeill Closing Remarks 1:26:43 - Kyle Julius Introduction 1:43:31 - Power Spots/Spacing Drills 1:52:15 - Transition Drills 1:59:27 - Offence Drills 2:02:14 - Flair Slip Offence 2:11:25 - Motion Pin Offence 2:17:33 - Late Clock Offence 2:22:49 - Kyle Julius Closing Remarks

Day in the Life with Diego Maffia

By Bandits Staff • 23 Dec, 2023
Inside the life of a CEBL U SPORTS Development Athlete and Canada West men's basketball star. Follow along as we join Diego Maffia for a "Day in the Life" of a U SPORTS athlete during a road game between the University of Victoria Vikes and the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades. Directed and edited by Simrit Saini.

Provincial Education Webinar: Coaches & Officials Interactions - Question 1

By Bandits Staff • 03 Dec, 2023
A provincial education seminar co-hosted by Basketball BC and Vancouver Bandits professional basketball club. Vancouver Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius and Trinity Western Spartans women’s basketball head coach Cheryl Jean-Paul provide their insights on the question, “How does knowledge of who your officials will be affect your pregame planning?” Click here to watch question 2 .

Provincial Education Webinar: Coaches & Officials Interactions - Question 2

By Bandits Staff • 03 Dec, 2023
A provincial education seminar co-hosted by Basketball BC and Vancouver Bandits professional basketball club. Vancouver Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius, Trinity Western Spartans women’s basketball head coach Cheryl Jean-Paul and U SPORTS/CEBL official Trevor West provide their insights on the question, “How does your familiarity with an official affect how you interact with officials during the game?” Click here to watch question 3 .
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