Vancouver Bandits’ Tazé Moore and Koby McEwen Headline 2024 Canadian Elite Basketball League Award Nominees

Bandits Staff • August 1, 2024

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday the individual award nominees for the 2024 CEBL Awards being held Wednesday, August 7 at Le Centre Sheraton Montreal at 7 p.m. ET. The CEBL Awards is the first official event of 2024 Championship Weekend (CW24) in Montreal, Quebec between August 7-11. 


Most Valuable Player finalists Tazé Moore of the Vancouver Bandits and Justin Wright-Foreman of the Winnipeg Sea Bears highlight the award nominees that were revealed for the six player categories. In total, there will be eight individual CEBL awards presented in 2024.

 

2024 CEBL Award Nominees 


Most Valuable Player: Tazé Moore (Vancouver Bandits), Justin Wright-Foreman (Winnipeg Sea Bears) 


Canadian Player of the Year: Jahvon Blair (Niagara River Lions), Koby McEwen (Vancouver Bandits) 


Sixth Man of the Year: Aayrn Rai (Niagara River Lions), Stefan Smith (Calgary Surge) 


Developmental Player of the Year: Simon Hildebrandt (Winnipeg Sea Bears), David Walker (Brampton Honey Badgers) 


Defensive Player of the Year: Omari Moore (Niagara River Lions), Lloyd Pandi (Ottawa BlackJacks) 


The 2024 CEBL Coach of the Year, Clutch Player of the Year (most Target Score Winners), Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award winner and All-CEBL First, Second, and All-Canadian teams will also be announced at the CEBL Awards. 


All CEBL award winners will receive a customized ring from Jostens, the official Supplier of Awards and Rings of the CEBL, and a special gift on behalf of the league’s partner at Foot Locker. 


Award nominees and winners are determined by votes cast by the league’s head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters and internal media personnel. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team. 


Tazé Moore earned his first MVP nomination in his first CEBL season after major contributions in numerous stat categories for the Bandits, finishing first in league average in assists (7.3), third in rebounds (8.1), fourth in steals (1.6) and 10thin points per game (17.6). His 124 total assists were the second-most in a single season in CEBL history and he became the first player to record two triple-doubles in the same regular season. 


Wright-Foreman led the CEBL in scoring average (26.3) for the second consecutive season and was nominated for MVP again after finishing as last year’s runner-up behind Teddy Allen. He also finished second in league average in three pointers made (3.4), third in assists (6.2) and three-point percentage (45.7), and set a league-record with 16 assists June 27 against Niagara. 


Canadian sharpshooters Blair and McEwen were both nominated for a CEBL award for the first time in their careers. Blair finished third in the league and first among Canadians in total points (329), and was third among all players in three-pointers made (53), free throw percentage (tie-83.5) and Target Score Winners (tie-3). McEwen led the CEBL in three-pointers made per game (tie-3.4), was second in total three-pointers made (54), fifth in three-point percentage (44.3), and ranked fourth among Canadians in total points (295). 


Rai and Smith were also first-time CEBL award nominees, making significant contributions off the bench for their respective clubs in 2024. Rai appeared in all 20 games for the River Lions, averaging 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 24.2 minutes per game, and was tied for third in the league with three Target Score Winners. Despite suiting up in just 10 games for the Surge, Smith tied for the league lead with four Target Score Winners, while posting averages of 18.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 24.2 minutes per game. 


Hildebrandt and Walker are the same nominees for the Developmental Player of the Year award (previously named U SPORTS Player of the Year) as last season, which saw the former take home the 2023 hardware. The only difference is Walker’s team which is Brampton this year after playing for the Scarborough Shooting Stars in 2023. Both players made a consistent contribution again in 2024, highlighted by Hildebrandt’s 19 points, seven rebounds and five three-pointers on July 20 against Saskatchewan, and Walker’s 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting (77.8%) from the field on June 30 vs. Scarborough. 


Omari Moore and Pandi locked things down on the defensive side of the ball for their teams all season. Moore, a first-time CEBL award finalist, finished third in the league and first among guards with 20 total blocked shots and an average of 1.5 blocked shots per game. Pandi set a single-season CEBL record with 44 steals, good for 2.3 steals per game – a half steal ahead of the next closest eligible player. Pandi is a previous two-time winner of the CEBL’s U SPORTS Player of the Year award (now Developmental Player of the Year award) in 2020 and 2021. 


The four-team CW24, hosted this year at Verdun Auditorium in Montreal, features a Conference Finals doubleheader on Friday, August 9, and the CEBL Championship Final on Sunday, August 11. 


As the top-ranked team in the CEBL’s western conference, the Bandits have earned a bye to advance directly to the Western Conference Final on Aug. 9, which will tip-off on TSN national TV at 2:30 p.m. PT. 


The Championship Final halftime will be performed by multi-platinum and award-winning recording artist Fefe Dobson, while Montréal-based award-winning rapper, FouKi, and Laval-based award-winning French rapper, Shreez, will perform at the Conference Finals. Ticket and event information is available at cebl.ca/cw24. 


The 2024 CEBL Playoffs begin Friday, August 2 with a Play-In round doubleheader at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET. For full details on the CEBL’s playoff format and 2024 matchups, please visit: https://www.cebl.ca/playoffs


All 2024 CEBL playoff games will be televised live on TSN in Canada and NLSE in the United States, and available to stream on CEBL+, TSN+ and Courtside 1891 for subscribers outside North America. 



All CW24 games in Montreal will also be televised on RDS. 

LATEST NEWS

Bandits Claim Top Spot in West with Statement Win over Sea Bears

By Gary Ahuja • August 3, 2026
“Enjoy this win and be proud of what we’ve accomplished up until now, but the hunt isn’t over.”  That was the message from Bandits interim head coach Rans Brempong after Vancouver locked up first place in the Canadian Elite Basketball League's Western Conference with a dominant 114-90 victory over the Winnipeg Sea Bears on Sunday before a sold-out Fan Appreciation Day crowd on Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. The one-sided victory — Vancouver never trailed and led by as many as 33 points — clinched top spot in the Canadian Elite Basketball League's Western Conference. The Bandits finished atop the West with a 15-9 record while Winnipeg settled for second at 14-10. As a result, the road to the CEBL Championship will go through Langley. Vancouver will host the Edmonton Stingers on Thursday (Aug. 6) at 7:00pm in the Western Conference semi-final, and with a win would also host the conference final on Aug. 8 with a berth in the CEBL Finals on the line. The game was delayed by 90 minutes following travel disruptions which prevented the Sea Bears from arriving until game-day morning. “We had something to play for today. We wanted first place, we wanted home-court advantage,” said Bandits guard Mychal Mulder. “It’s games like this we get out of bed for, so we were excited and took advantage of the opportunity.” Vancouver was all over the Sea Bears from the opening whistle, leading 17-4 midway through the first quarter and by 21 at halftime. Mulder and Mitch Creek led the team with 29 and 28 points, respectively, while Shamar Givance added 16 points with John Knight III chipping in a dozen. Givance set a new CEBL single-game record with 18 assists. As a team, the Bandits had 36 assists on their 46 field goals. “We knew it was important to play with pace. I think we also shared the ball really well. Shamar had 18 assists and pushed the ball up and down the floor all night. I think everybody did a great job sharing the ball,” Mulder said. “And having (reigning league MVP Mitch Creek) back was super helpful. I think he puts a lot of guys in the right position to succeed, and it's been super helpful for the whole group.” Emmanuel Akot led the Sea Bears with 20 points while Teddy Allen – the league’s leading scorer at 27.8 points per game – was held to half that, finishing with 14. “There was a lot to like tonight. I liked the energy right from the beginning and our attention to detail,” Brempong said. “We were sharp. The mindset we have has been we are on a hunt, and you have to be sharp to hunt something.” General manager (and former head coach) Kyle Julius was in attendance for Sunday's game after stepping down from coaching to pursue an opportunity in the Chinese Basketball Association. “Obviously, everything that we're doing is his blueprint,” Brempong said. “He's the one who developed sort of the blueprint and got the players here. To have him sitting beside me, giving me advice that he saw, was a comforting feeling.” The focus now shifts to Thursday's single-elimination playoff game against an Edmonton team that split the season series 2-2 with Vancouver. The Bandits enter with wins in three of their past four games. “I think momentum is important. I always say it's a game of runs; that applies to the season as well,” Mulder said. “The whole year, the whole summer, we've been trying to peak at the right time,” Mulder said. “I think we're playing the style of basketball we've been working toward for months, and we're finally peaking at the right time.” -

Game Start Delay Notice - Sunday, August 2

By CEBL Staff • August 2, 2026
Tomorrow's Canadian Elite Basketball League game in Vancouver between the Winnipeg Sea Bears and the Vancouver Bandits has been moved from 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET to 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET due to travel disruptions. All tickets for the game remain valid. For any further ticketing issues or inquiries, please contact tickets@thebandits.ca.

Bandits Fall To Montreal on Final Road Game of Regular Season

By Roid Chand • July 29, 2026
A season-high 25 points from Shamar Givance wasn’t enough as the Vancouver Bandits came up short in the final road game of the season. The Montreal Alliance defeated the Bandits 87-82 on Tuesday night, a game where three Bandits recorded their highest point totals of the season. Along with his 25 points, Givance also added eight rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes of action. “He was the definition of a warrior tonight,” said Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong. Givance, who came off the bench, took a bulk of the guard minutes after leading scorer Jarkel Joiner exited the game in the first half. “He picked up 94 feet and he went over every screen. It’s commendable. That’s why we brought Shamar here for the effort he gives,” said Brempong. Stephen Zimmerman in just his second game with Vancouver recorded 13 points and six rebounds. Jarrell Eddie scored a season-high 17 points and notched his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. “Certain guys were thrust into positions they’re not normally in and that’s growth,” said Brempong. Both teams struggled offensively, particularly outside the paint, but what they lacked in offence was made up by their defence. The Bandits shot 9-33 from beyond the arc, and the Alliance cashed in on just 11 of the 32 three point opportunities. The Bandits recorded seven blocks and six steals, while the Alliance recorded four blocks and six steals. Montreal native Tyrese Samuel recorded 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. He played just 22 minutes after picking up two early fouls in the first quarter. No Canadian player has scored more points than Tyrese Samuel’s 358 points this season. Neither team separated themselves as the game stayed close for all four quarters. The largest lead of the game was eight, which belonged to Montreal. Vancouver exploded in the third quarter and outscored Montreal 27-17, yet their scoring wouldn’t translate to the fourth quarter. The Bandits offence lacked consistency all night, scoring just 16 points in the final frame. Quincy Guerrier led the Alliance with 26 points and seven rebounds. The Bandits will head home for the final game of the regular season against the Winnipeg Sea Bears. The Bandits (14-9) currently sit top of the Western Conference while the Sea Bears (13-10) sit in second place. “The mission is still the same.”

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

By Rois Chand • 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.

LATEST VIDEO

Full Game Highlights | Bandits at Saskatoon, 05/14/2026

By Bandits Staff • May 15, 2026
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Mamba on May 14, 2026.

A Message from Vancouver Bandits head coach Kyle Julius

By Bandits Staff • August 18, 2025
A message from Vancouver Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius on the 2025 season and thoughts on the CEBL Western Conference Semifinal.

Full Game Highlights | Bandits vs. Calgary Surge (08/16/2025)

By Bandits Staff • August 16, 2025
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on August 16th, 2025.

Full Game Highlights | Bandits vs. Winnipeg Sea Bears (08/03/2024)

By Bandits Staff • August 4, 2025
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on August 3rd, 2025.