Underdogs: With a new roster and coach, the Bandits are establishing a formula for team success
By Contributing Bandits Writer: Cassidy Kannemeyer • August 1, 2020
For three quarters basketball often resembles a prize fight. Both fighters trade haymakers in an attempt to land that elusive knockout blow to end the fight.
Typically, there is no knockout “shot” in basketball, but with the CEBL utilizing the Elam Ending, every CEBL Summer Series game has seen its own game winner.
Choreographed actions designed to find your opponent’s weakness can help a team build a lead, but no lead is safe in the Elam Ending format, which is specifically designed for comebacks and thrilling finishes.
The fourth quarter is a different animal. Every team needs a closer; a player who can get their shot no matter what defence is in place. Last season, the Bandits struggled to find their closing formula, often relying on the hot hand of that particular game to finish the job.
This strategy produced limited success and the Bandits struggled to create great looks down the stretch of games. Fast forward to this season and the current rendition of the Bandits has a clutch component built into its DNA - something head coach and general manager Kyle Julius has been able to harness from his players at every level that he’s coached at.
All of Julius’ pro teams have been built on the foundations of hard work, selflessness and an underdog mentality. With that being said, this team on paper appears to have a similar makeup to his teams of the past.
Julius has enlisted players that he has won with before, such as Kyle Johnson, Junior Cadougan and Marcus Capers. Each was a member of the London Lightning team that took the title in 2017, and each has brought a two-way intensity to the Bandits that has helped the team get off to a 2-1 start to the CEBL Summer Series.
Across the CEBL, rosters feature a vast array of Team Canada members, NBA G League stars and imports with NBA caliber size. Preseason pundits labelled the Bandits as “undersized,” but Fraser Valley has shown an ability to punch above its weight thanks to the length and athleticism of its players.
The Bandits have two players that have built their pro careers around their ability to isolate and score. Cameron Forte makes his living scoring on the block. Screens and straight rim runs allow him to establish his position in his office in the painted area. A natural lefty, Forte is a wide bodied post player that has proven to be a headache to guard. Remind anyone of Zach Randolph? Randolph could get the ball anywhere near the rim and turn to hook the ball in from tough angles. Forte has a similar skillset.
With his soft touch and his ability to shoot out to 18-feet, Forte has emerged as an elite scoring threat both early and at the end of games. Currently, Forte leads the team in scoring and rebounding with 24.3 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game.
The offensive load doesn’t rest on the shoulders of Forte alone. For three quarters the Bandits have several capable playmaking guards that are able to create their own shot and penetrate at will. Both Marcus Capers and last year’s CEBL assist king Marek Klassen have managed the offensive load for parts of the game, but the Bandits also have other members in their backcourt that are capable of creating mismatches.
This is someone who can consistently beat their man and get buckets. Someone who on any given night will have the opposing team’s primary wing defender and is still able to produce.
Kyle Johnson at 6-foot-5 has the size over smaller guards to shoot over the top and the quickness against bigger defenders to gain a slight advantage with his speed and strength.
Johnson throughout his career has consistently averaged double digits in scoring and has been counted on to be an isolation scorer.
Johnson had an outstanding first game against the Edmonton Stingers, scoring 19 points and hauling in six rebounds while also dishing out five assists.
Push offs, leaners, fadeaways, post-ups, jab steps - you name it, Johnson has it in his toolkit. He has the ability to make tough shots under duress and take on bigs at the rim. Ultimately Johnson’s value could be as the secondary scorer to Forte. His ability to be a primary scorer will depend on how often he gets to the free throw line and how often he can shake the opposing team’s shutdown defender.
Johnson exited last Tuesday’s game against Saskatchewan after landing on the foot of Robinson Opong. Johnson sat out Thursday’s game against Ottawa and is hopeful to return for today’s tilt on national TV against Hamilton at 10:30 a.m. PT on your local CBC channel.
The Bandits’ ability to score and defend the ball will determine how far this team can go after a hot start to the CEBL Summer Series campaign. Both Forte and Johnson will be relied on heavily regardless of what their role is.
LATEST NEWS
Vancouver Bandits forward Mitch Creek has been called up to the Australia men’s national team for the upcoming 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, as announced by Basketball Australia. The reigning CEBL Most Valuable Player and All-CEBL First Team member captained the Bandits during the 2025 season, where he appeared and started in 20 games and averaged 24.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 34.4 minutes played. Following his stellar sophomore campaign with the Bandits, he signed with U-BT Cluj-Napoca in Romania for the 2025-26 season in EuroCup, one of the premier pro basketball leagues in the world. Hailing from Horsham, Victoria, Creek has appeared in 20 games for the Australia Boomers. This call up marks his first appearance for his country since 2019, where he competed at the 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. Australia, who are ranked sixth in FIBA's men's world rankings, will face Guam on Thursday, February 26 at 1:00 a.m. PT before taking on the Philippines on Sunday, March 1 at 1:30 a.m. PT.
3x3 basketball action will be taking over Guildford Town Centre this Family Day long weekend as the Vancouver Bandits and Basketball BC host 3x3 Clutch. 3x3 Clutch is a joint partnership between BC's professional basketball club and Basketball BC that is designed to increase awareness and interest in 3x3 basketball through collaborative events hosted across British Columbia throughout the calendar year. Set to run Friday, February 13, to Monday, February 16, 3x3 Clutch will welcome nearly 250 young athletes from across the Lower Mainland competing on a custom-built court setup at Guildford Town Centre. Athletes will be competing in the following age groups; Boys U12, U13, U14 and Girls U12, U13. This weekend’s games at 3x3 Clutch are open to the public; spectators are welcome to attend for free as no admission fee will be charged. This upcoming 3x3 Clutch event will mark the first time that a 3x3 basketball tournament will be held inside a shopping centre in British Columbia, following in the footsteps of recent 3x3 basketball events in Canada including in Edmonton during Summer 2025. “Hosting the first-ever 3x3 basketball tournament inside a shopping centre in British Columbia speaks to how creative and accessible this sport can be. Our partnership with Guildford Town Centre is built around growing the game in meaningful ways and bringing community together,” says Dylan Kular, Vancouver Bandits team president. “3x3 basketball thrives in community spaces and this event shows how the game can adapt, grow, and reach new audiences in exciting ways.” In addition to exciting 3x3 basketball action, the weekend will also feature several youth development clinics led by Bandits coaching staff, and interactive basketball opportunities for shoppers and the public. "As we approach our fourth year partnering with the Vancouver Bandits, we are thrilled to host the 3x3 Clutch basketball tournament at Guildford Town Centre. This action-packed weekend promises excitement for both players and spectators, and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting our community through dynamic events that bring people together," says Kiran Deol, Marketing Manager at Guildford Town Centre. The sport of 3x3 basketball is a fast-paced rendition of the traditional 5-on-5 game that is played globally; thanks to its surging popularity and global interest in the 3x3 basketball format, the sport was incorporated at the Olympics for the first time at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games. 3x3 basketball is played in a half-court setting, thus requiring less space to play and also affords each player more opportunities to touch the ball given the reduced amount of players on the court. Launched in the summer of 2023 and featuring its inaugural tournament at the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s 2023 Championship Weekend festivities at Langley Events Centre, the goal of 3x3 Clutch is to provide a recreational and competitive framework for youth and adult 3x3 basketball. For more information, visit www.thebandits.ca/3x3clutch .
The Vancouver Bandits, BC’s professional basketball team in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), are committed to making a positive impact through basketball and growing the game across British Columbia, and this dedication was highlighted this past week in Kelowna and the Okanagan area. Coming off the recent announcement of Kelowna HOOPFEST, a brand-new basketball festival featuring a CEBL neutral-site home game in partnership with the City of Kelowna, Bandits head coach Kyle Julius spent time at five Okanagan-area secondary schools and both of Kelowna’s post-secondary men’s basketball teams, as part of the Vancouver Bandits third-annual Bandits School Tour. Julius and Bandits staff visited Mount Boucherie Secondary School, Immaculata Regional High School, Okanagan Mission Secondary, Rutland Secondary School and Kelowna Secondary, as well as the men’s basketball teams at UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College, providing dedicated and tailored practices along with motivational talks and training materials. Launched in 2023, the Bandits School Tour is supported by the Bandits Community Foundation, Preston Chevrolet and Envision Financial and offers a unique opportunity for student-athletes and volunteer coaches to learn directly from BC’s only professional basketball coach. “What stood out most during our visit was the impact basketball can have when it is rooted in mentorship and connection; it is clear how vibrant the basketball and business ecosystem is in the Okanagan,” said Bandits team president Dylan Kular. “We are thankful to the Okanagan and Kelowna communities for welcoming us so openly, and this is only the beginning. We are committed to being present and intentional in the lead-up to Kelowna HOOPFEST from June 5th to 7th.” In addition to the Bandits School Tour, Julius and members of Bandits staff had the opportunity to connect with various Okanagan business, media and community leaders, including attending the 51st annual Western Canada Tournament at Kelowna Secondary and a Kelowna Rockets hockey game. Nearly 1,000 tickets have already been sold for Kelowna HOOPFEST, tipping off Saturday, June 6 at 6:00 p.m. PM at Prospera Place between the Vancouver Bandits and Saskatoon Mamba, and speaks to the growing interest in Bandits Basketball and the CEBL across the province. More information and tickets are available at thebandits.ca .
The Vancouver Bandits and the City of Kelowna announced today that the club will host its first neutral-site home game in franchise history when it faces Saskatchewan Professional Basketball Club on Saturday, June 6, with tip-off set for 6:00 p.m. PT at Prospera Place in Kelowna. This Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) matchup will serve as the marquee event of Kelowna HOOPFEST, a new basketball festival presented in partnership with the City of Kelowna designed to celebrate basketball at every level. Kelowna HOOPFEST will feature the Vancouver Bandits vs. Saskatchewan Professional Basketball Club, a youth 5x5 tournament, a coaching clinic, and additional programming to be announced.  “This is a historic moment for our club and for professional basketball in British Columbia,” said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. “We are bringing the same incredible energy our Bandits fans get at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Fans can expect fast-paced, high-energy basketball paired with an electric game-day atmosphere, and a fan-first experience that will bring communities together inside and outside the arena. Bringing our first neutral-site home game to Kelowna as part of Kelowna HOOPFEST is about growing the game and connecting with new communities.” Kelowna HOOPFEST reflects the City of Kelowna’s continued investment in hosting major sporting events that strengthen connection, inspire youth participation, and drive economic impact. “Kelowna is excited to host the Vancouver Bandits and Saskatchewan Professional Basketball Club at Prospera Place,” said Mayor Tom Dyas. “Kelowna continues to build its reputation as a premier event-hosting city, and we are proud to welcome the Canadian Elite Basketball League to our community. The first-ever Kelowna HOOPFEST and surrounding events will bring people to our city, support local businesses, and provide a boost to our local economy.” The multi-day event represents an important step in expanding the reach of both professional basketball and the CEBL across Canada. “Bringing high-energy basketball from some of Canada’s most dynamic players into our communities across the country is what defines our league,” said CEBL President Tyler Mazereeuw. “The Vancouver Bandits will be turning Kelowna into a multi-day Canadian Elite Basketball League experience, giving residents of Kelowna a firsthand look at the energy and passion that is driving our rapidly growing fanbase from coast to coast.” Tickets for Vancouver Bandits vs. Saskatchewan Professional Basketball Club at Kelowna HOOPFEST are on sale now. Additional details surrounding Kelowna HOOPFEST programming will be announced in the coming weeks. More information and tickets are available at thebandits.ca .
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.