Bandits Re-sign Victoria Vikes Star Maffia
2025 U SPORTS National Champion has appeared in 30 games with Vancouver over the last two seasons
The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that the club has signed 2025 U SPORTS national champion and the University of Victoria’s all-time leading scorer Diego Maffia to a Standard Player Contract.
A product of Victoria, B.C. and an alumnus of Oak Bay High School, Maffia leaves UVic with a decorated university career including back-to-back U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian and Canada West player of the year honours (2023, 2024) and surpassed the school’s all-time scoring record, finishing his career with 2,096. He was instrumental in the Vikes’ recent success, contributing to three consecutive Canada West championships (2021, 2022, 2023) and four straight U SPORTS Final 8 appearances, culminating with a national championship in 2025.
Over the course of five seasons, Maffia averaged 29.0 minutes, 20.3 points, 3.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds 1.2 steals and 3.4 three-pointers made on 33.3 per cent shooting across 103 games played (80 starts).
Maffia’s 2024-25 season ended prematurely after sustaining a season-ending knee injury in January. He is currently recovering from successful surgery and will be placed on the club’s Suspended List for the 2025 CEBL season. With this signing, the Bandits will have the first chance to retain Maffia’s rights for the 2026 season.
“Diego has always been a huge part of our development culture. We want to help Diego through his recovery process and make sure he is set up for success with us when he is ready to get back to action,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius.
Originally drafted sixth overall in the 2023 CEBL Draft, Maffia has appeared in 30 games for the Bandits across two seasons with averages of 4.9 points, 1.6 assists 1.0 rebounds and 11.2 minutes per game. Bandits fans were first introduced to his talents at the pro level when, in his first career pro start, Maffia recorded a double-double and the game-winning basket as part of a 15-point, 11-assist performance against the Calgary Surge on June 3, 2023.
Tickets for the 2025 season, including Season Tickets, Jam Packs and Single Game Tickets, are currently on sale for the Bandits’ seventh CEBL season and are available for purchase
at this link.
The Bandits tip-off the 2025 CEBL campaign on Thursday, May 15 when the club hits the road to take on the Saskatchewan Rattlers. Fans will have their first chance to watch the club at home on Thursday, May 22 at 7 p.m. PT when Vancouver hosts the Niagara River Lions in a rematch of the 2024 CEBL Final. Vancouver will play a total of 12 regular season home games in 2025 between Thursday, May 22 and Sunday, August 3. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road in Ottawa on Sunday, August 10 at 12 p.m. PT.
All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on TSN+, as well as the CEBL’s OTT platform,
CEBL+, and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices).
Individuals interested in learning more about tickets for the Vancouver Bandits’ upcoming 2025 season are kindly asked to call (604) 455-8881 or email
[email protected]. A complete regular season schedule can be found by
clicking here.
More information is available at
thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on
Instagram and
TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on
Facebook and
Twitter.
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About the Vancouver Bandits:
The Vancouver Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Bandits offer an entertainment experience that combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top professional athletes within a world-class venue at Langley Events Centre (LEC).
