Vancouver Bandits hope to snap losing skid in road tilt against Saskatchewan Rattlers

Zulfi Sheikh • Jul 19, 2023

The Vancouver Bandits (+102) look to end their four-game losing streak as they visit the Saskatchewan Rattlers (-143) on Wednesday at 7:30 pm local/9:30 pm ET from the SaskTel Centre.


It will be nationally televised live on TSN 4/5 as part of a double-header for TSN’s CEBL game of the week and will also be available for streaming on TSN+, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, and on CEBL Mobile app available on iOS and Android devices.


After facing off twice prior to this matchup, Wednesday night will be the third and final battle between the Western Conference Opponents this regular season. In their first two games, it was a fairly even showing as the two squads split the series at one a piece.


What’s remained constant in this head-to-head has been the leaders for both squads, even if the outcomes have varied. For the Rattlers it was Justin Wright-Foreman doing a majority of the work – as he’s been doing all season - averaging 28 points, 7.5 rebounds, and six assists. 


The league’s points per game leader (29.7 PPG) has been carrying the load offensively for Saskatchewan the entire 2023 campaign, accounting for more than a third of their scoring production every night. So, it goes without saying, if they’re going to win this game, they’ll need Wright-Foreman to keep doing what he’s doing.


In their most-recent contest, the guard did just that, as he led the Rattlers to a narrow 86-84 victory over the Brampton Honey Badgers by way of his franchise-record 39 points. The Queens, New York, native and his squad ran rough shots inside the paint throughout the night as they shot over 50 per cent from inside the arch and outscored their opponents on points in the paint.


Wright-Foreman wasn’t the only one to find success against the defending champions, as Michael Nuga, who started as opposed to his usual role off the bench, added in 15 points and six rebounds. The guard has been on form as of late, scoring in double figures in Saskatchewan’s last three outings, averaging 17.7 points per game during that span. 


The duo has helped the Rattlers to their best stretch this season, as they’ve won three of their last five games. It’s impressive on its own, but even more so, considering they only won four times in their 12 contests before said stretch. 


Fans of the team hope the squad can keep the wins coming as they try and battle out of the bottom of the conference and try to keep their playoff hopes alive.

 

On the other side, for the Bandits, their leader through the series has been Nick Ward. The forward’s averaged a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds during those two games. He also shot an identically efficient 66 per cent from the field both times against the Rattlers, and although it may be unsurprising considering he’s second in the CEBL for field goal percentage (60.4 per cent), it’s still impressive.


Vancouver will need Ward to keep up his strong play as they hope to get back in the win column. The squad heads into this matchup on the heels of a three-game home stand where they went winless, on route to the aforementioned four-game skid. In their latest loss, the Bandits matched a season-low in points as they took a 79-74 defeat to the Montréal Alliance, shooting just 36 per cent from the field along the way.


It felt clear that the absence of Ward – who missed that game against the Alliance – left a void that the Bandits struggled to fill. The big man is not only top-10 in the league for field goal percentage, but also for points (17 PPG), rebounds (7.6), and blocks (1.1). 


Without his presence holding down the paint, Montréal felt no resistance on the night as they shot over 50 per cent from two-point range. Doing almost all their damage exclusively from the interior, they held a +22 edge on points in the paint, scoring nine more baskets than Vancouver did from inside the arch. 


Malcolm Duvivier and rookie Diego Maffia tallied 11 and 10 points respectively, as the team’s only double-digit scorers on the night.


Despite their recent woes, the team does have some reason for optimism. The Bandits may have found a new contributor in the form of recent addition Kur Jongkuch. In just his fifth game with the team, he had his best outing of the season with nine points, six rebounds, and two blocks in a season-high 17 minutes of action off the bench.


After their game, Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius described the forward as the team’s lone bright spot on the night, suggesting that Jongkuch deserved more minutes after that performance. If the big man can provide a spark for this team off the bench, and Ward can return without missing a beat, it could go a long way for the Bandits as they try to head into the playoffs with some momentum.


In terms of playoff implications, since Vancouver is guaranteed a spot at Championship Weekend as the host city, it all falls onto Saskatchewan. With just one game separating them and the Edmonton Stingers above them, and just three games remaining for both teams, the margin of error is razor thin. A win would be vital for the Rattlers if they want to keep their hopes for post-season basketball alive.  


All games will be streamed live internationally on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, and on the CEBL Mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Full list of betting props available on BetVictor. Preview written by Zulfi Sheikh (@zulfi_sheikh).


The full western conference standings can be found here. 


A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 71 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball. The CEBL season runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us (@cebleague) on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.

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. 

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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
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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 .

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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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