Vancouver Bandits Put on a Show at 3rd Annual School Day Game
It took them a quarter or so to get going, but once they did, the Vancouver Bandits put on a show from beyond the arc at the club’s home venue of Langley Events Centre (LEC).
The Bandits sank 12 of their 13 three-point shots after the first 10 minutes as they won 105-78 over the U SPORTS BC All-Stars at yesterday’s third annual School Day Game, presented by Sentinel Storage and Headlands Environmental.
“We put a lot of time and energy into finding three-point shooters,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “The three-ball is so valuable in this league.”
“If you look at our team, we have five point guards and five 5’s, that’s our team. I want guys that can handle and guys that can shoot the three, and I think we showed that today.”
Julius was speaking to media following the team’s School Day Game, which saw more than 4,000 elementary, middle and high school students fill the stands for the Bandits’ pre-season contest against a team of local university players.
The exhibition game precedes the Bandits’ highly anticipated Home Opener this upcoming week, taking lace on Thursday, May 23 (7 PM) against the Montréal Alliance at LEC.
“I learned more than I expected to learn,” Julius admitted of his team, which was without six of its 15 rostered players – who are still on their way to Vancouver or finishing up with their current pro teams overseas in their respective post-seasons.
“We got a chance to examine our team in a game-day atmosphere,” he said, adding it was an opportunity not just for the players to play in a game situation on their home court with fans – something that cannot be replicated in practice – but also for the coaching and training staffs to iron out any kinks they may have.
“I learned a lot defensively that I think will really help us. And I don’t think we would have known that necessarily in practice. You just don’t get this atmosphere in practice; you can’t recreate it.”
Offensively, James Karnik led the Bandits with 25 points.
“We know that James Karnik is going to be a really big piece, showed that he is healthy and in great shape,” Julius said of the team’s 6-foot-9 forward from Surrey, who played for the team in 2022 but took all of last summer off to recover, both physically and mentally.
“James is a special player. We did not have that kind of energy and effort last year. I think he is a big-time upgrade and a huge locker room piece because that kind of energy and effort is contagious. It is leadership by action.”
Karnik showed his leadership and energy, taking the microphone prior to tip-off, pumping up the crowd.
And with Karnik scoring in the post with an array of moves, it opened up the outside for players like Diego Maffia, who finished with 22 points, 18 of which came from beyond the arc.
Maffia was with the team in 2023, taking the experience he gained back to the University of Victoria this past season, winning the U SPORTS Player of the Year.
Thursday’s game also saw two new additions make their Bandits debut as Tazé Moore – who has both NBA and G League experience on his resume – scored 19 while Glen Yang – formerly of the CEBL’s Winnipeg Sea Bears – added 17.
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