Vancouver heads to Scarborough with sights set on 1st place in the West
Steven Loung • July 26, 2024
The Vancouver Bandits (13-5) can clinch the top seed in the Western Conference and a bye to 2024 Championship Weekend with a road win over the Scarborough Shooting Stars (11-7) on Friday night.
The Shooting Stars, who are locked into second place in the East and a home date with the Ottawa BlackJacks in the Eastern Conference Play-In, will look to Friday’s game against the Bandits as a solid test against stiff competition before the playoffs begin.
The game tips off at 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET) from Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, with live coverage available on CEBL+, TSN+ and on the CEBL mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. The game will also be televised on Game+.
Expect lots of fireworks Friday night as this matchup pits the two top scoring teams in the league against one another.
Statistically, the Bandits are coming in as the favourite as they also allow the fewest points per game, and have the best point differential in the CEBL, but this isn’t to say that the Shooting Stars can’t compete. Far from it, in fact. Scarborough is currently the hottest team in the league right now having won four straight and its solid 7-1 home record certainly gives it an advantage over the 4-4 mark that Vancouver has managed on the road.
Led by the electric Cat Barber, the defending champs are peaking at the right time, and he’s been a big part of it, averaging 25.2 points per game over the course of the Shooting Stars’ win streak.
Toronto native Koby McEwen has taken the reins as Vancouver’s leader this season, with his deadeye three-point shooting a key aspect of the Bandits’ balanced attack, but he missed last night’s game in Brampton and is currently listed as day-to-day.
Both the Shooting Stars and Bandits are locked into playoff spots. The Montreal Alliance will be hosting Championship Weekend this year and get an automatic bye to the Final Four tournament.
Considering how their respective regular seasons have gone, Scarborough and Vancouver alike look to have legitimate aspirations toward earning their place in Montreal for Championship Weekend.
Key matchup
The potential of a duel between MVP candidate Tazé Moore and Barber should make you excited. Both are great, athletic guards who aren’t shy about shooting the three. They are also capable of filling it up in a hurry with their marksmanship from outside.
Milestone watch
- Scarborough’s Kalif Young, of Vaughan, Ont., needs 16 points to reach 500 for his career, regular season only.
- Vancouver’s Nick Ward needs 12 points to reach 900 for his career, regular season only.
- Scarborough’s Kadre Gray, of Toronto, Ont., needs 34 points to reach 900 for his career, regular season and playoffs.
- Scarborough’s Cat Barber needs four rebounds to reach 250 for his career, regular season only.
- Scarborough’s Kadre Gray, of Toronto, Ont., needs four rebounds to reach 250 for his career, regular season only.
- Scarborough’s Kalif Young, of Vaughan, Ont., needs eight rebounds to reach 500 for his career, regular season only, and 11 rebounds to match Jordan Baker as the CEBL’s all-time rebounding leader, regular season and playoffs, with 560.
- Vancouver’s Nick Ward needs three rebounds to reach 400 for his career, regular season only.
- Scarborough’s Cat Barber needs 12 assists to reach 300 for his career, regular season only.
- Scarborough’s Kadre Gray, of Toronto, Ont., needs three three-pointers made to reach 100 for his career, regular season and playoffs.
- Vancouver’s Duane Notice, of Toronto, Ont., needs five steals to reach 50 for his career, regular season and playoffs.

2024 season series
This is the second meeting between these two sides. The first one happened way back on May 26, with the Bandits emerging victorious 88-83 in Vancouver. Moore had 19 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in the victory then.
LATEST NEWS
The Vancouver Bandits announced Saturday that Trinity Western Spartans alumnus David Mutabazi has re-signed with the club for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League season (CEBL). The 6-foot-5 guard joined the Bandits as a Developmental Player during the 2025 season where he was selected 30th overall in the CEBL Draft, appearing in nine games with three starts. Mutabazi made an immediate impact, logging 29 minutes and finishing with a game-high plus-44 as a starter in his professional debut on May 15, 2025 in a 106-65 win against the Saskatchewan Rattlers. “David was a complete surprise last season. His defensive instincts and relentless effort elevated our locker room culture,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “This year, we are counting on David to do even more. He is one of our few returning players and we expect him to bring that toughness, intensity, and now leadership to push us forward.” Mutabazi recently finished a four-year collegiate basketball career at Trinity Western University, where he averaged 13.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game across 83 games dating back to 2022. During the 2025-26 season, he averaged 9.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 17 games, placing him in the top five in those categories for the Spartans. Mutabazi will be reunited with fellow TWU product Jack Vandenberg on the Bandits training camp roster, which begins on Tuesday, May 5. Born in Kirinda, Rwanda, Mutabazi recently represented his country at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket tournament. In his international debut, he averaged 5.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while playing 19.1 minutes per game across three games as its sixth man off the bench. Fans will get their first chance to watch the Bandits’ new-look roster in a charitable preseason game on Saturday, May 9 at 5:00 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre when the club faces the Sikh Warriors from ESPN’s The Basketball Tournament. Preseason tickets are on sale at this link , with proceeds benefitting the Bandits Community Foundation. The Bandits open the 2026 CEBL season on Thursday, May 14 on the road in Saskatoon before coming home for its Home Opener against the Edmonton Stingers on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. A full game schedule can be viewed here . Bandits Single Game Tickets and additional 2026 ticket options can be purchased here . All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, the CEBL Mobile app, the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Marquee games will air nationally on CBC TV. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that the club has signed Houston Rockets’ NBA G League guard John Knight III to its roster for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. Knight, a 6-foot-3 guard from Jackson, Miss., has spent the past three seasons in the NBA G League with the Houston Rockets’ minor league affiliate, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, where he became known for his dunking ability and shutdown defensive skills. During the 2025-26 season, Knight averaged 7.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while playing 31.1 minutes per night across 34 games with 29 starts. “We are really excited to add John to our roster this summer. He is an explosive, high-level athlete who can impact the game on both ends and defend multiple positions,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “He has had real success in the NBA G League, and we expect him to bring that same production, toughness, and versatility to our group right away.” Prior to the NBA G league, Knight made his professional debut during the 2022-23 season with Norwegian club Frøya Basket where he averaged 22.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 6.3 rebounds per game. Knight led the team in all categories, as well as steals (104), blocks (39), and minutes played (1363). Before turning pro, Knight attended Utah State University during the 2018-19 season before transferring to Southern Utah University from 2019 to 2022. During his time with the Thunderbirds, Knight earned First Team All-Big Sky Conference honours in 2022 during his senior year. Knight will reunite with fellow Thunderbird alumnus and recent Bandits free agent signing Tevian Jones, who both shared the court during the 2021-22 season. The Bandits open the 2026 CEBL season on Thursday, May 14 on the road in Saskatoon before coming home for its Home Opener against the Edmonton Stingers on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Bandits Single Game Tickets and additional 2026 ticket options can be purchased here . All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, the CEBL Mobile app, the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Marquee games will air nationally on CBC TV. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed Trinity Western University (TWU) product Jack Vandenberg to its roster for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A six-foot tall guard from Vancouver, Vandenberg earned an invitation to the inaugural Bandits University Combine. 40 local student-athletes competed against each other, developing their game against B.C.’s top young talent and with the help of Bandits coaching staff. The club hosted the combine to identify players who can make an impact in training camp and potentially sign to its roster for the upcoming 2026 season. “Jack Vandenberg is one of the premier shooters in Canada. He proved it again at our combine, where he stood out for his elite space and shot-making,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “Having coached him in the gym, I know he’s tough, a leader on his university team, and a player who is going to help push our culture forward.” Julius stressed the importance of Vandenberg’s ability to space the floor in training camp, which begins on Tuesday, May 5. “We are excited to add his toughness and sharpshooting as we gear up for camp,” he continued. In his junior year at TWU during the 2025-26 season, Vandenberg led his team with 15.8 points-per-game while also averaging 3.5 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 20 games with 19 starts. He led the Canada West conference in three-pointers made, finishing with 75 makes on 175 attempts. Vandenberg shot .429 per cent from beyond the arc, ranking 4th in the conference. Prior to his time with the Spartans, Vandenberg attended Montreal’s Concordia University in the 2022-23 season. An alumnus of St. George’s School in Vancouver, he earned Second Team All-Star honours at the 2022 BC 4A Boys Basketball Provincial Championship where he helped lead his school to a top 10 finish in his senior year. Fans will get their first chance to watch the Bandits’ new-look roster in a charitable preseason game on Saturday, May 9 at 5:00 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre when the club faces the Sikh Warriors from ESPN’s The Basketball Tournament. Preseason tickets are on sale at this link , with proceeds benefitting the Bandits Community Foundation. The Bandits open the 2026 CEBL season on Thursday, May 14 on the road in Saskatoon before coming home for its Home Opener against the Edmonton Stingers on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. A full game schedule can be viewed here . Bandits Single Game Tickets and additional 2026 ticket options can be purchased here . All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, the CEBL Mobile app, the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Marquee games will air nationally on CBC TV. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Wednesday that the club has signed the University of British Columbia Okanagan’s (UBCO) all-time leading scorer and assist leader Jalen Shirley to its roster for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A six-foot guard from Brampton, Ont., Shirley was invited to participate in the inaugural Bandits University Combine, hosted by the club to identify players to invite to training camp and add to its roster for the upcoming 2026 season. Shirley was one of 40 student-athletes from local universities, earning a spot on the Bandits 2026 training camp roster, beginning on May 5. “At our combine, Jalen stood out for not getting sped up and playing with control,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius. “We are thrilled to bring him in and give him the platform to develop into a top-tier professional as he transitions from university to the next level.” He averaged 20.8 points per game in his final season (2025-26), which ranked second in the Canada West conference, as well as 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 34.4 minutes played per game across 23 games and starts. His play earned him Canada West Third Team All-Star honours. Shirley finished his six-year university career as the UBCO Heat’s all-time leader in points and assists, while ranking second all-time in steals, and received the school’s men’s Graduating Athlete of the Year award. “Jalen is an elite U SPORTS point guard who plays the game with solid poise and pace. In pick-and-roll situations, he plays with flow and gets to his spots,” added Julius. Fans will get their first chance to watch the Bandits’ new-look roster in a charitable preseason game on Saturday, May 9 at 5:00 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre when the club faces the Sikh Warriors from ESPN’s The Basketball Tournament. Preseason tickets are on sale at this link , with proceeds benefitting the Bandits Community Foundation. The Bandits open the 2026 CEBL season on Thursday, May 14 on the road in Saskatoon before coming home for its Home Opener against the Edmonton Stingers on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. A full game schedule can be viewed here . Bandits Single Game Tickets and additional 2026 ticket options can be purchased here . All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, the CEBL Mobile app, the CBC Gem app and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Marquee games will air nationally on CBC TV.
LATEST VIDEO
A message from Vancouver Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius on the 2025 season and thoughts on the CEBL Western Conference Semifinal.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on August 16th, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on August 3rd, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on July 25, 2025.