Full Game Highlights | Bandits vs. Niagara (05/22/2025)

A well-oiled machine continues to hum along in Vancouver. The Bandits won their third straight game to open the season, routing the Edmonton Stingers 109-79 on Saturday at Langley Events Centre. Vancouver (3-0) had already kicked off its campaign with 40- and 37-point blowouts prior to its latest 30-point romp. Now, the Bandits have scored 107 more points than their opponents — and their players have twice set franchise scoring records, with Mitch Creek’s 36 points matching the mark Tyrese Samuel established just last week. Head coach Kyle Julius said his group is among the best he’s ever worked with. “These guys are just great guys. Every time I come in the gym, they’re there early, they stay late, they care. … They allow you to push them and they allow you to coach them and they’re just great kids. The whole group of them is really high character,” Julius said. Vancouver led 100-70 heading into Target Score Time, and while Edmonton (1-3) showed some fight, the Bandits made relatively quick work of their West rival. Rookie Kyle Mangas capped the victory with a pair of three-pointers. Julius added that the dominant start to the season is a result of the synergy between his coaching style and his players. “I really need guys to genuinely care about this like it’s life and death. That’s what it is for me. In this business, I lose five games in a row, I could be fired, and so I approach every possession with that passion. When I have players that care about it like that … that’s kinda like the core root to this whole thing,” he said.\ Creek, who burst onto the CEBL scene last season when he averaged 26 points per game and led Vancouver to the Finals, enjoyed a breakout night offensively. The big Aussie’s 36 points represented a season- and game-high, and he also added seven rebounds and five assists. “It’s a bunch of very, very talented, unselfish selfish individuals at the right time,” Creek said of the team’s early success. “Three days ago, I didn’t have a big game but maybe my impact was just as impactful as it was tonight. Just because I put some points on the board doesn’t mean that’s the reason that we won.” Mangas, 26, poured in 23 points while shooting seven-for-12 from beyond the arc, Canadian big man Tyrese Samuel added 17 points and point guard Shamar Givance had five points and 15 assists. Creek said Julius recently shared a video with him that resonated about this Bandits team. “It was an NHL player who said, ‘When you walk in the locker room and don’t know who the best player is, that’s when you know you have a championship-calibre team,’ and that’s what we have right now and it’s really fun playing on a team like that,” Creek said. Stingers head coach Jordan Baker said the Bandits’ depth of scoring options makes them difficult to contain. “You gotta give credit to Vancouver. They played well, they shot the ball well, they executed well and we did basically the opposite,” he said. For Edmonton, Cameron McGriff led the way with 18 points and six rebounds off the bench while Sean East II added 16 points, three assists and three steals. Edmonton became the second team in CEBL history to score 10,000 points (including playoffs) when Nick Hornsby – the team’s active all-time scoring leader – converted an and-one in the second quarter. But Hornsby said the team needs to go back to the drawing board following the 30-point defeat. “I feel like a lot of the stuff was on us. Like I said, they’re a good team, they run their plays well, they’re physical and do the things they need to do to win,” Hornsby said. The Bandits held an early 22-10 lead, but the Stingers fought back to narrow their deficit to 24-20 after the first quarter. Vancouver fought back to take a 51-40 advantage into halftime. The Bandits extended their lead to 80-63 following the third quarter, and the blowout was on. 

Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Edmonton Stingers on May 24th, 2025.

The Vancouver Bandits and Connect FM are proud to announce the continuation of their groundbreaking partnership to broadcast select 2025 Bandits home games in Punjabi, marking the second straight season of inclusive, community-driven basketball storytelling on air. In 2024, the Bandits and Connect FM made history by becoming the first team in Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) history to deliver a live Punjabi radio broadcast on June 1, 2024. This milestone moment resonated with fans across the Lower Mainland and the global South Asian diaspora, creating space for representation, access, and cultural celebration through basketball. "As a radio platform, Connect FM has always focused on organizing and partnering with initiatives that involve projects benefitting our community. Our partnership with the Vancouver Bandits is purely based on the idea of offering something that has never been done before, “ said Tejinder Singh, director - strategy & operations of Connect Media Network. Connect FM's live broadcast of CEBL games in Punjabi was well received by our audience in 2024. This year, listeners will have a great experience of catching the game updates live in Punjabi language again." Bringing the action will be play-by-play broadcaster Jagraj Lalli and analyst Jarman Chahal, who together bring experience from Hockey Night In Canada: Punjabi Edition, the BC Hockey League as well as several broadcasting stints with various leagues and community events throughout the Lower Mainland region. Connect FM will provide live Punjabi commentary for eight marquee Bandits home games this season. Fans can tune in across multiple platforms: Online: connectfm.ca → Click Listen LIVE Surrey FM 91.5 App: Connect FM Canada (available via App Store & Google Play) Radio: 91.5 FM in Surrey and surrounding areas 2025 Punjabi Radio Broadcast Schedule on Connect FM: Saturday, May 24 – vs. Edmonton Stingers | 7:00 PM Sunday, June 1 – vs. Calgary Surge | 5:00 PM Saturday, June 14 – vs. Montreal Alliance | 7:00 PM Friday, June 20 – vs. Winnipeg Sea Bears ( South Asian Heritage Night ) | 7:00 PM Saturday, June 28 – vs. Saskatchewan Rattlers | 7:00 PM Sunday, July 6 – vs. Brampton Honey Badgers | 5:00 PM Sunday, July 20 – vs. Edmonton Stingers | 5:00 PM Sunday, August 3 – vs. Winnipeg Sea Bears | 5:00 PM “The return of our Punjabi radio broadcast is a meaningful step in our continued commitment to inclusion,” said Dylan Kular, Vancouver Bandits team president. “This partnership with Connect FM not only brings the game to Punjabi-speaking fans but also celebrates the vibrant South Asian community that is a proud part of our team’s identity and culture. Punjabi will not be the only language we explore for Vancouver Bandits live stream and radio broadcasts.” With passionate commentary, cultural connection, and an electric basketball atmosphere, the 2025 Punjabi broadcasts will deliver a one-of-a-kind game experience to homes, cars, and earbuds across British Columbia and beyond.