WILL HISTORY REPEAT FOR NIAGARA AND FRASER VALLEY IN INTRIGUING CEBL SEMIFINAL
CEBL Staff • August 20, 2021
The second-seeded Niagara River Lions (10-4, 0-0) bring a loaded roster to Edmonton as the team looks to reach their first CEBL Championship game, while the Fraser Valley Bandits (7-7, 1-0), ranked fourth, hope to return to the final but change the outcome from 2020.
Watch live at 7:00 p.m. ET on CBC TV, CEBL+, CBC Gem.
Niagara finished the regular season on a tear, winning the final four games of the regular season, while holding opponents to just 74 points. Two of those wins came against Hamilton, which secured the River Lions seeding at number two, and a direct berth into the CEBL Championship Weekend.
It was those same Honey Badgers who broke the hearts of Niagara fans two years ago in the league’s semifinal contest.
After finishing first in the 2019 regular season with an impressive 15-5 mark, the River Lions were upset in the final four to Hamilton, 104-103. They were knocked out in last season’s quarterfinal again to the Honey Badgers, 85-83. Thanks to the Ottawa BlackJacks, who upset Hamilton last week, the River Lions have a different foe to worry about in Friday’s matchup.
With the late additions of Phil and Tommy Scrubb, and the return of Javin DeLaurier from the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA Summer League, the River Lions arguably have the most talented lineup among the CEBL semifinal teams. The only thing that slowed down Niagara’s momentum was a Covid-19 protocol, which forced many players into self-isolation and the team was required to spend more time on video over the past week than on a basketball court. With the high I.Q. of the River Lions roster, they still come into the game as the favourites.
The Fraser Valley Bandits had a tale of two seasons packed into one. They started the 2021 CEBL campaign winning four straight, en route to a 5-2 record at the halfway mark. They lost their mojo, losing five consecutive games before salvaging the fourth-place finish with a pair of wins against the lowly Saskatchewan Rattlers to close out the regular season at 7-7.
In their 104-84 quarterfinal dominance over Guelph on Sunday, the Bandits looked revitalized. Fraser Valley set a CEBL playoff record with 29 assists, led by Sixth Man of the Year Award nominee Shaquille Keith, who recorded nine dimes to go along with a bench-high 14 points. Brandon Gilbeck, the dominant force in the middle, recorded game highs of 26 points and 10 rebounds. His team was on fire, shooting .560 (40-72) from the field and 12-for-22 (.540) from beyond the arc. They will need to continue that explosive offence against Niagara to stand a chance against the River Lions.
The Bandits are looking to return to the CEBL championship game for the second straight season. Only if they are firing on all cylinders can Fraser Valley get to Sunday and another shot at the CEBL trophy. They have played nearly flawless basketball at home but have managed just two wins on the road this season. With a little swagger from the big quarterfinal win on national television, confidence may be the difference maker on Friday night.
A win for Fraser Valley, and it’s like putting a song on repeat. A victory for Niagara and different stories are told for two franchises still searching for glory.
Season Series
It’s hard to use the season series between Niagara and Fraser Valley as a barometer for Friday’s semifinal tilt. Each team crushed their opponent at home, resulting in a 1-1 record against each other during the 2021 campaign. The Bandits defeated the River Lions, 104-81, on June 29 in Abbotsford, while Niagara returned the favour with a 103-82 victory in St. Catharines on July 8.
The second semifinal game takes place Friday (9:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. MT, live on CBC Gem and CEBL+, replayed on CBC TV on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. MT) when the defending champion and host Edmonton Stingers (13-1) tip off against the sixth-seeded Ottawa BlackJacks (4-10, 1-0), who upset the third-ranked Hamilton Honey Badgers on Saturday.
Championship Weekend Schedule
Semifinals: Friday, August 20, 2021
No. 2 Niagara River Lions vs. Fraser Valley Bandits (7 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. MT)
No. 1 Edmonton Stingers vs. Ottawa BlackJacks (9:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. MT)
Championship Game: Sunday, August 22, 2021
Semifinal Winner 1 vs. Semifinal Winner 2 (4 p.m. ET, 2 p.m. MT)
All CEBL Playoff games will be available for live streaming on the CEBL’s new OTT streaming service CEBL+, cbcsports.ca, the free CBC Gem streaming service, the CBC Sports App for iOS and android devices, and on Twitch.
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season typically runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.
LATEST NEWS
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.
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.”
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.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that the club has signed former NBA draft selection and decorated overseas champion Stephen Zimmerman for the remainder of the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 7-foot centre hailing from Las Vegas, Nev., Zimmerman was selected 41st overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2016 NBA Draft and appeared in 19 games as a rookie. With the signing, Zimmerman becomes the first-ever NBA draft selection to sign with the Bandits. “Zimmerman brings additional size to our team and experience from the highest levels of the game around the world,” said Bandits general manager Kyle Julius. “His signing is part of our strategic plan to ensure we have a strong roster to compete in the CEBL playoffs.” A veteran of 10 professional seasons, Zimmerman most recently played for Gigantes de San Francisco in the Dominican Republic during the 2025-26 season where he helped lead the club to a Dominican LNB championship. He also earned championships in the Czech Republic, guiding ERA Nymburk to both a Czech Cup and Czech NBL title in 2021. His journeyman career overseas includes previous stops in Germany, Poland, Australia, Japan, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Malaysia and China. In addition, Zimmerman played parts of four NBA G League seasons with the Orlando Magic’s affiliate (Erie Bayhawks, now Osceola Magic) in 2016-17, the Los Angeles Lakers’ affiliate (South Bay Lakers) in 2017-18, the New York Knicks’ affiliate (Westchester Knicks) in 2018-19, and San Antonio Spurs’ affiliate (Austin Spurs) in 2022-23. Internationally, Zimmerman represents the United States. He competed for his country at the senior level at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup and 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, and won a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in 2014. Before playing professionally, Zimmerman played one season of NCAA DI basketball for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). As a freshman, he started 24 of 26 games played and averaged 26.2 minutes, 10.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocked shots per game while shooting .477 per cent from the field.
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