Vancouver Bandits Topple League-Leading Calgary Surge

Zulfi Sheikh • June 15, 2023

CALGARY, ALTA., June 14, 2023 – Giorgi Bezhanishvili’s 27-point double-double on Wednesday night helped the Vancouver Bandits (3-4) hold off a 20-point comeback from the Calgary Surge (5-2) in what ended up being an 82-77 win.


After scoring eight points in the first half, Bezhanishvili took over down the stretch, scoring 21 the rest of the way while shooting 50 per cent from the field and 5-of-9 from distance. He also dominated the glass. Bezhanishvili entered Wednesday night action as the CEBL’s top rebounder at 11.8 per game and hauled in 13 boards en route to his team’s second win in a row.


He was supported by Nick Ward, whose 13 points were the second most by any Bandits player despite him only playing 16 minutes due to injury. Malcolm Duvivier also contributed by way of his nine points and nine rebounds.


On the other side it was Stefan Smith’s 23 points and 10 rebounds that led the Surge in the loss, his first double-double of the season. Joining him was Simi Shittu who notched 19 points, 11 of which came in the final frame of the contest.


The game plan coming into the night for the Bandits was clear: attack the glass and win the rebounding battle.


Along with dominating the glass, the best rebounding team in the CEBL also applied a ton of interior pressure to the number one defense in Calgary, as they were +10 on points in the paint. Vancouver was rewarded with a 22-9 lead heading into the second. The 13-point difference was the largest lead the Bandits have held after a first quarter in any game this season.


An 8-0 run by the Surge in the first four minutes of the second had them back within three points. 


After dominating through two quarters via his game-high 13 points, Nick Ward strained his right knee early in the third, left the game and did not return. Without Vancouver’s leader in the paint, the Surge made their move to cut into the Bandits’ lead. 


The Bandits however demonstrated some major poise by limiting the damage; notably, Bezhanishvili took charge as he dropped 10 points in the frame to keep his team up 11 as the quarter expired.


His strong shooting immediately carried over to the fourth frame as the forward nailed two triples in the first two minutes, helping his team to an 11-2 run and a 70-50 lead with 7:33 to go. With the biggest lead of the game on hand, things seemed all but over, but that’s when the Surge showed some poise of their own by going on a 16-2 run to make it a six-point game. 

The Bandits held a slim 72-66 lead entering the Target Score frame.


Calgary’s strong play carried right over as they outscored their opponents 10-3 to start the Target Score period and go up 76-75 for their first lead of the game since they were up 5-2 at the 7:59 mark of the first quarter. 


Bezhanisvili knocked down a triple to give his team a three-point lead before Duane Notice iced the game by converting a lay-up to seal the final score at 82-77 the final.


Vancouver’s next home game is Saturday, June 17 when the Saskatchewan Rattlers visit Langley Events Centre. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT. 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 Sentinel Storage Extend Partnership Into 8th Season

By Bandits Staff • April 30, 2025
The Vancouver Bandits announced today a two-year partnership extension with Sentinel Storage that expands on the companies’ long-standing relationship and reinforces a shared commitment to youth, sport, and community in British Columbia. This renewed partnership builds on a foundation that dates back to 2020 with the Bandits Athletic Centre in Abbotsford, where Sentinel Storage played a key role in supporting multiple sport organizations at the grassroots level during the pandemic. Sentinel Storage and the Bandits are deepening their impact through two major initiatives: co-presenting the Bandits' annual School Day Game, and serving as the founding and presenting partner of the First Buckets program by the Bandits Community Foundation. The School Day Game, set to be held at Langley Events Centre during the Bandits’ 2025 season on May 8th, is a high-energy morning basketball game that invites thousands of elementary and middle school students for an unforgettable field trip experience. The event is designed to inspire youth through sport, while providing educators and students with a unique opportunity to engage with professional basketball in a fun and educational setting. "At Sentinel Storage, we believe in the power of community and the importance of supporting youth development through sport,” said Jenn Johnson, Director of Operations, Western Canada, Sentinel Storage. “We’re excited to be expanding our partnership with the Bandits to help make basketball more accessible to youth across British Columbia, while also fostering important life skills like teamwork, resilience, and leadership. We’re proud to be a part of this journey and look forward to seeing how we can continue to make a difference in the lives of young athletes in B.C.” Sentinel Storage has also committed to leading the launch of First Buckets, a flagship initiative of the Bandits Community Foundation. This program delivers basketball starter kits to schools across British Columbia, helping introduce the game to new communities. Each kit includes basketballs, jerseys, and coaching materials, along with life skills curriculum and the potential for a visit from Berry the Bandit, the team’s beloved mascot. The program makes the sport accessible while championing important lessons in teamwork, resilience, and leadership. “We’re grateful to be partnered with a community-minded organization like Sentinel Storage who also took a chance on us in 2020 when we launched the Bandits Athletic Centre. Since day one with Sentinel Storage it has been evident that they passionately care about the power sport has on supporting youth in British Columbia,” said Dylan Kular, President of the Vancouver Bandits. “Together, through the Bandits Community Foundation, we are going to provide more basketball for more people across British Columbia with the First Buckets program and impact youth across all four corners of the province.”  The partnership between Sentinel Storage and the Vancouver Bandits is a testament to the impact that strong community-focused collaborations can have. With shared values at the core, this partnership is poised to make a lasting difference—on the court and beyond.

Vancouver Bandits Sign Grant Shephard for 2025 CEBL Season

By Bandits Staff • April 30, 2025
The Vancouver Bandits announced Wednesday that the club has signed 6-foot-10 forward Grant Shephard for its upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season at Langley Events Centre (LEC). Hailing from Kelowna, B.C., Shephard recently played for Swedish club Jämtland Basket in the Basketligan, the country’s highest division of men’s pro basketball. During the 2024-25 season, he averaged 13.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 28.5 minutes in 32 games played while shooting 62 per cent from the field. Prior to Sweden, Shephard also played in Estonia (BC Kalev-Cramo, 2023-24) and Spain (Esguiera Basket, 2023-24). Shephard established himself as a dominant big man during his U SPORTS career, playing at the University of British Columbia (2017-20) before transferring to Carleton (2021-23). He captured a national championship with the Ravens in 2022-23 while also being named a U SPORTS Final 8 tournament all-star and Ontario University Athletics (OUA) second team all-star. “Grant has had two great seasons playing overseas since he was last with us. He is one of BC's best big men and I am really looking forward to getting back to work with him,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. This will be Shephard’s third stint with the Bandits and fourth overall in the CEBL. He made his league debut in 2019 with the Bandits as a Development Athlete, including playing in the club’s inaugural game on May 9, 2019, and made subsequent appearances with the Niagara River Lions in 2021 and with the Bandits a second time in 2023. Across three CEBL seasons, Shephard has appeared in a combined 22 games and averaged 8.1 minutes, 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. “I am grateful to be back with the Bandits this season and ready to grind. I can already tell that this summer will be special,” said Shephard. Prior to finishing his high school career at the prestigious Montverde Academy in Florida, Shephard attended Kelowna Secondary. Shephard helped guide the Owls to a B.C. AAAA provincial championship in 2016 while he took home MVP honours as a junior. On the international stage, Shephard has represented Canada at both the junior and senior levels. Most notably, he captured the FIBA U19 World Cup in 2017, alongside current Toronto Raptor RJ Barrett, and earned a silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

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By Bandits Staff • April 25, 2025
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Vancouver Bandits Re-Sign Guard Glen Yang

By Bandits Staff • April 24, 2025
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