Bandits Unfinished Business!

The Vancouver Bandits are set to return to the Langley Events Centre (LEC) this Saturday for their first home playoff game in two years, aiming to build on a franchise-best regular season and contend for the CEBL Championship. 

Last season, the Bandits fell short in the championship game against the Niagara River Lions, making this postseason opportunity especially meaningful. 

Vancouver secured the top seed in the Western Conference with a 19-5 record, clinching home-court advantage for the playoffs and achieving the best regular season finish in franchise history. 

The LEC was the site of 10 Bandits wins this summer, including seven sold-out games, tying the franchise record for most home wins in a single CEBL regular season. 

Saturday’s matchup will mark the first time in two years that the LEC hosts a playoff game, following Vancouver’s appearance in the 2023 Western Conference Final. 

This also represents the Bandits’ sixth consecutive postseason appearance, dating back to 2020.

The Bandits will face the winner of the Western Conference Play-In Game between the second-seeded Calgary Surge and third-seeded Edmonton Stingers. 

The winner of that semifinal will advance to 2025 Championship Weekend (CW25) at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

The four-team CW25 includes a Conference Finals doubleheader on Friday, August 22, followed by the CEBL Championship Final on Sunday, August 24. 

Vancouver closed the regular season with a record-setting 130–112 win over the Ottawa BlackJacks, setting a CEBL record for scoring under the Target Time format and recording the second-highest scoring game in league history. 

The Bandits’ backcourt and forward rotation performed at a high level, demonstrating their ability to maintain composure and capitalize during critical stretches of the game. 

Forward Tyrese Samuel earned the CEBL Player of the Week after posting consecutive dominant performances, scoring 32 points with 18 rebounds on August 8 and 33 points with 17 rebounds on August 10. 

Samuel’s rookie campaign stood out as he became the only player in the league to average more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, while also tying for the league lead with six Target Score Winners and leading the CEBL in field goal percentage at 65.9 percent.

Mitch Creek, the Bandits’ veteran leader, also finished the regular season strong, averaging 24.4 points per game to rank second in the league. 

He added 488 points over the course of the season, marking the second-highest total in the CEBL in 2025 and the fourth-highest single-season total in franchise history. 

Creek also ranked among the league’s top 10 in three-point percentage, field goal percentage, free throws made, minutes played, and steals, cementing his status as one of the league’s top performers. 

The 2025 CEBL Awards, taking place on August 21 at The Metropolitan Entertainment Centre in Winnipeg, will honor individual and team achievements from the season, including Most Valuable Player, Canadian Player of the Year, Sixth Man, Defensive Player, Developmental Player, Coach of the Year, Clutch Player, and the Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award. Award recipients will receive custom rings, trophies, and gifts from league partners. 

With home-court advantage and a talented roster featuring proven scorers and defensive contributors, the Bandits are well-positioned to make a deep playoff run. 

Saturday’s game marks the beginning of their push to secure the franchise’s first CEBL Championship and capitalize on one of the most successful seasons in team history.

It’s been an honour to broadcast Vancouver Bandits basketball in Punjabi for most of the home games this season. 

I can’t wait to do it one last time at the LEC on Saturday. Join myself and Jarman Chahal on 91.5 Connect FM for the call.