Second-Half Rally Lifts Bandits Past Rattlers to End Skid
June 29, 2025
Zulfi Sheikh
Sometimes it’s not about how you start, just how you finish.
The Vancouver Bandits (9-3) proved as much with their 97-85 come-from-behind victory over the Saskatchewan Rattlers (3-10) on Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre.
Vancouver won the second half by 22 points (52-30), turning what was a 10-point halftime deficit into a 12-point win that not only extended their lead atop the Western Conference but also snapped a two-game skid.
Tyrese Samuel led that effort for the Bandits with a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds on a team-best 7-for-11 shooting. Right behind him was a pair of returnees in Mitch Creek, who chipped in 23 points of his own, and Kyle Mangas, who scored 22 on 6-for-11 shooting from distance. Meanwhile, Nick Ward, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, made his season debut, albeit finishing with just two points on 1-of-4 shooting in seven minutes of action.
Nate Pierre-Louis spearheaded Saskatchewan’s effort with a double-double as well, putting up 19 points and a game-high 11 assists. Jordan Bowden also scored 19 points to go with five rebounds and seven assists, while Deon Ejim (off the bench) and Grant Anticevich added 15 and 13 points, respectively.
“It was a tough loss,” Ejim said with a tone of optimism post-game, noting how in the first two of four matchups against the Bandits this season, the Rattlers lost both by more than 20 points. “We didn’t have the ending that we wanted, but I was happy with the fight and the fact that we weren’t dominated like the last two games.
Conventional wisdom would’ve said the Bandits ought to have led after the opening frame on Saturday, considering they finished the quarter 6-for-10 from distance, went 10-for-13 from the free throw line and forced three turnovers to their zero.
Yet after Pierre-Louis’ triple in the final seconds of the frame capped off a 10-3 run, part of nine points in the first for him, it was the Rattlers that led 28-27 after 10 minutes.
While Vancouver won the battle outside the arc, it was a completely different story on the interior as the Bandits were 0-for-6 on two-pointers throughout the first quarter, giving up an 8-0 edge on paint points to the Rattlers. Vancouver’s first two-point make didn’t come till 9:13 of the second.
And after seizing the momentum, Saskatchewan made the most of it. Or rather, Ejim did, as the bench forward caught fire to the tune of 4-for-4 from distance in the second. His lights-out shooting led to a game-high 15 points at halftime as the Rattlers led 55-45 after winning the second quarter by nine points (26-17).
“We’ve been in every single game this year,” Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz said following the loss, noting how seven of the team’s losses have come by seven-or-fewer points. “We’re a team that competes hard … it’s a huge credit to our guys.
“For us it’s about continued growth and we saw another step forward tonight.”
It was a much-welcomed outburst for a Rattlers team that averaged just 8.6 makes from distance per game entering the night, third-fewest in the CEBL. They finished 13-for-28 (46 per cent) from distance as a team on Saturday.
Whereas the taps turned off in the second for Vancouver after its perfect 5-for-5 start from distance on Saturday, as the Bandits made just one of their next 11 three-point attempts going into the break. That trend didn’t last, however, and ended up being a catalyst for their rally, making nine second-half threes on a 52 per cent clip.
“We started off slow, we’ve had a lot of guys in and out of the lineup … so we really struggled in the first half to find our rhythm,” Creek said after the win. “It’s a bit of a chess match at the moment.”
The first two of those makes came on back-to-back hits from Corey Davis. Jr and Mangas to open the third, they were part of a 14-4 run that was then capped off by a Creek fastbreak layup that gave Vancouver its first lead since the 0:41 mark of the opening quarter.
And it was Mangas who punctuated that effort by Vancouver as he nailed a running, fading triple at the buzzer to extend the Bandits' lead to 72-68 after the third. The import had missed the last two games Vancouver had lost as he went through workouts south of the border with NBA clubs, and it didn’t take long for him to remind the 4,984 in attendance what he was capable of, as his six threes in the game put him up to first in the CEBL for total triples (40) this season.
The Bandits didn’t slow down from there as they opened the fourth on a 10-2 run, carving out an 11-point lead at the start of Target Time on the heels of Creek’s second of three triples on the night.
And while the Rattlers did go blow-for-blow with the Bandits once the clocks were stopped, they needed more to overcome the double-digit deficit. Ultimately, a 5-0 burst thanks to another Creek make from distance and a pair of Samuel free throws — finishing 8-of-9 from the charity stripe — were enough for Vancouver to walk away with a win.
It was fitting that Saskatchewan committed back-to-back turnovers just before Samuel closed out the ball game, as it was an issue that underscored their loss. In a game where the Rattlers shot better across the board aside from the free throw line, and won the rebound and assist battle, it was self-inflicted miscues that loomed large. The usually disciplined Rattlers, who commit the third-fewest turnovers on average (13.4), finished with 18 as they gave up a 23-8 edge on points off giveaways. Meanwhile, they sent the Bandits to the line for 27 free throws (plus-13), of which Vancouver nailed 22 (plus-14).
“They made us second-guess ourselves,” Ejim said. “And just that simple second-guess cost us the game.”
The skid snapping victory capped off the Bandits' second-annual Filipino Celebration Game, an event that included fan activations, commemorative merch and special edition jerseys. All the while, the team wore a black-stiped patch with the word “Kapwa,” which describes the Filipino experience of community and shared humanity, to honour the lives tragically lost a the Lapu-Lapu Day Festival on April. 26.
“It’s the sixth man that people don’t really notice sometimes,” Creek said of the raucous sellout crowd. “All of a sudden, the momentum is in your favour … there’s a different effect. That’s what basketball is all about.”
Box Score
https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600621
Up next
The Bandits stay put in Vancouver, continuing a three-game homestand when they return to action on Tuesday to host the 7-5 Scarborough Shooting Stars. Meanwhile, the Rattlers head back to Saskatchewan for their next three games, starting with a matchup against the 5-5 Montreal Alliance on Thursday.
Next CEBL action
Sunday’s double-header slate opens with an Eastern Conference matinee matchup between the defending champion Niagara River Lions and host Brampton Honey Badgers at 2 p.m. ET. After that, the Edmonton Stingers welcome the Scarborough Shooting Stars out west for a 6 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. local tip-off.
For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visitcebl.ca/games.
- CEBL -
Pour une troisième fois en autant de matchs, Javonte Smart a démontré exactement de quoi il est capable sur un terrain de basketball. L’ancien membre du Heat de Miami a effectué ses débuts à domicile avec les BlackJacks d’Ottawa (fiche de cinq victoires et six défaites) et a donné à la foule de quoi se réjouir, inscrivant 31 points pour mener son équipe à une victoire de 90-77 contre l’Alliance de Montréal (fiche de cinq victoires et cinq défaites). « Je laisse simplement mon travail parler », a déclaré Smart, qui a cumulé 86 points à ses trois premiers matchs avec le club. « Je m’entraîne constamment et j’ai l’occasion de montrer mon jeu, et c’est ce que je fais : montrer ce dont je suis capable. » « Ils m’ont accueilli à bras ouverts. Personne n’avait de mauvaise attitude, on s’est tous rassemblés et on gagne des matchs. Je pense que les victoires règlent tout, il n’y a pas de plaintes. Si on continue à gagner, tout va bien aller. » « Je pense que tout le monde voit l’impact qu’il a », a affirmé l’entraîneur-chef des BlackJacks, Dave DeAveiro, à propos de sa nouvelle vedette. « Parfois, vers la fin, il devient un peu fatigué parce qu’il joue beaucoup de minutes, et je crois qu’il est encore en train d’apprendre à faire confiance à ses coéquipiers. Mais plus il apprendra à leur faire confiance, plus il va grandir et vous verrez un Javonte encore meilleur. » C’est l’équipe adverse qui a commencé en force, dominant la clé pour prendre rapidement les devants 8-0. Quelques tirs de trois points cruciaux des BlackJacks ont permis de réduire l’écart, mais l’Alliance a conservé l’avantage 28-22 après le premier quart, grâce à un avantage de 17-8 aux rebonds et 20 points marqués dans la clé. Ottawa a effectué des ajustements importants pendant la pause et a amorcé sa remontée tôt au deuxième quart. Une séquence déterminante de 9-0, conclue par un panier de Smart, leur a permis de prendre les devants 41-40, leur première avance du match, alimentée par une efficacité de six tirs réussis sur douze derrière l’arc en première demie. L’équipe a poursuivi sur sa lancée et est rentrée au vestiaire avec une avance de 49-45, qu’elle n’a plus jamais abandonnée. « L’une des choses que cette équipe possède, c’est de la grandeur », a expliqué DeAveiro en parlant de l’adversaire. « Ils sont physiques. Ils envoient quatre joueurs au rebond offensif. On affronte rarement des équipes qui envoient autant de gars au rebond. Je pense qu’on s’est améliorés au fil du match. Nos rebonds se sont améliorés. Il fallait juste s’ajuster à leur grandeur et à leur intensité physique. On les a limités à 49 points pendant trois quarts. C’est impressionnant. C’est de l’excellente défense. Malgré tous les box-outs manqués et les rebonds offensifs, j’ai senti qu’on progressait au fur et à mesure. » Tavian Dunn-Martin, l’un des joueurs les plus dynamiques de la LECB, a été limité à seulement neuf points, réussissant trois de ses quinze tirs du match, même s’il a ajouté six rebonds et douze passes décisives. O.D Anosike a mené l’Alliance avec 17 points et huit rebonds, tandis que Quincy Guerrier en a inscrit 15 et Brandon Porter en a ajouté 14 lors de ses débuts dans la LECB. « Il faut donner le crédit à Shakur (Daniel) », a mentionné DeAveiro au sujet de la capacité de son équipe à neutraliser l’attaque de l’Alliance. « Il est là à défendre leur meilleur joueur, à passer à travers les écrans. C’est lui qui établit le ton défensif, et tu as besoin d’un gars comme ça dans ton équipe. Les trois derniers matchs, il a pris en charge les meilleurs marqueurs adverses. Tout part de Shakur, et tout le monde s’en nourrit. Je pense qu’on va encore s’améliorer défensivement, et bientôt, le standard sera de 75 points, parce que je suis exigeant comme ça. » En plus de son excellent travail défensif, Daniel a terminé avec six points et quatre vols. Isaih Moore a inscrit 21 points et capté huit rebonds, tandis que Zane Waterman a contribué avec 12 points en sortie de banc. C’était seulement la quatrième fois de la saison que les BlackJacks atteignaient le plateau des 90 points. « Il faut défendre. Je vais garder ça simple », a déclaré Guerrier au sujet de lui-même et de ses coéquipiers. « Il faut qu’on revienne à limiter les équipes à moins de 90 points. Je pense que toutes nos défaites ont été contre des équipes qui nous ont marqué 89 points ou plus, donc il faut trouver une façon d’être meilleurs en défense. » C’est tout le monde. Chacun doit faire sa part. Défendre le porteur du ballon, c’est le plus important. Tu ne veux pas qu’ils pénètrent et ressortent le ballon. Évidemment, tu dois gagner ton duel en un contre un, mais c’est un effort collectif et il faut faire mieux. » C’était un autre résultat décevant pour une équipe de l’Alliance qui avait commencé la saison avec une fiche de cinq victoires et aucune défaite, mais qui se retrouve maintenant avec une fiche de cinq victoires et cinq défaites. Les BlackJacks, juste derrière l’Alliance au classement de la LECB, connaissent quant à eux la trajectoire inverse, avec une troisième victoire consécutive qui les amène à une fiche de cinq victoires et six défaites. Les deux équipes s’affronteront encore deux fois cette saison. Feuille de match https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600620 À venir pour les deux équipes Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa célébreront la fête du Canada en accueillant les Sea Bears de Winnipeg à la Place TD pour leur deuxième et dernier affrontement de la saison. L’Alliance de Montréal poursuivra son voyage de trois matchs à l’extérieur avec une rencontre de la fête du Canada contre les Stingers d’Edmonton. Prochains matchs dans la LECB Les River Lions de Niagara se dirigent vers Brampton pour le deuxième de leurs quatre affrontements de la saison. Le match sera diffusé en direct sur CEBL+, TSN+ et NLSE. Pour consulter le calendrier complet de la saison 2025 de la LECB et les résultats à jour, visitez le site cebl.ca/games. - LECB -
For the third time in as many games, Javonte Smart showed exactly what he’s capable of doing on the basketball court. The former member of the Miami Heat made his home debut for the Ottawa BlackJacks (5-6) and gave the crowd something to cheer for, scoring 31 points to lead the team to a 90-77 victory over the Montreal Alliance (5-5). “I just let my work speak,” said Smart, who has combined for 86 points over his first three games with the club. “I’ve been working and I get the opportunity to show my game, and that’s what I’ve been doing: just showing what I can do. They brought me in with welcome arms. Nobody had an attitude, and we all joined together and we’re getting wins. I think winning solves everything, there’s no complaining. I think if we continue to win, everything will go smooth.” “I think everyone can see the impact he has,” BlackJacks head coach Dave DeAveiro said of his new star player. “Sometimes towards the end he gets a little tired because he’s playing a lot of minutes, and I think he’s still learning and trusting his teammates. But as he learns to trust his teammates a little more, I think he’ll grow and you’ll see an even better Javonte.” It was the away team that started off strong, dominating the paint to take an early 8-0 lead. Some clutch three-pointers from the BlackJacks would help close the gap, but the Alliance would hold on to a 28-22 advantage after the first quarter thanks to a 17-8 lead in rebounds and scoring 20 points in the paint. Ottawa would make some key adjustments during the break and begin to surmount a comeback early in the second. A pivotal 9-0 run capped by a Smart basket would give them a 41-40 lead, their first of the game, fueled by shooting 6-for-12 from beyond the arc in the first half. They kept their foot on the gas and took a 49-45 advantage into halftime and never looked back. “One of the things that team has is length,” DeAveiro said of the opposition. “They’re physical. They send four guys to the glass. We don’t play many teams that send that many guys to the glass. I think we got better as the game went along. I thought our rebounding got better. It’s just adjusting to that length and physicality. We held them to 49 points in three quarters. That’s amazing. That’s great defense. With all the missed boxouts and offensive rebounds, I felt as the game went on that we got better.” Tavian Dunn-Martin, one of the CEBL’s most dynamic players, was held to just nine points on 3-for-15 shooting from the field, though he chipped in with six rebounds and 12 assists. O.D Anosike led the Alliance with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Quincy Guerrier had 15 and Brandon Porter had 14 in his CEBL debut. “We need to give credit to Shakur (Daniel),” DeAveiro said of his teams ability to shut down the Alliance offence. “He’s out there guarding their best player, fighting through screens. He kind of sets the tone for us defensively, and you need a guy like that on your team. The last three games he’s guarded their best offensive players. It all starts with Shakur and everybody else can feed off of that. I think we’re just going to get better defensively, and soon the standard is going to be 75, because I’m greedy like that.” On top of his stellar defensive play, Daniel finished with six points and four steals. Isaih Moore had 21 points to go with eight rebounds and Zane Waterman chipped in with 12 off the bench. It was just the fourth time the BlackJacks had cracked the 90-point plateau this season. “We got to defend. I’ll keep it simple,” Guerrier said of himself and his teammates. “We have to get back to keeping teams under 90 points. I think all our losses were 89 points plus, so we have to find a way to be better defensively. It’s everybody. Everybody has to do their job. Guarding the ball is the most important thing. You don’t want them to penetrate with the ball and just kick it out. Obviously, you have to win your matchup one on one, but it’s a team effort and we have to do a better job.” It was another disappointing outcome for an Alliance team that started the season 5-0, but now finds themselves straddled with a 5-5 record. The BlackJacks, who sit immediately below the Alliance in the CEBL standings, have found themselves on the opposite trajectory, winning three straight and improving to 5-6. The teams play twice more this season. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600620 Up next for both teams The Ottawa BlackJacks will celebrate Canada Day by welcoming the Winnipeg Sea Bears to TD Place for their second and final meeting of the season. The Montreal Alliance continue their three-game road trip with a Canada Day game against the Edmonton Stingers. Next CEBL action The Niagara River Lions head to Brampton for the second of four meetings between the quads this season, streaming live on CEBL+, TSN+ and NLSE. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -
The Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Friday that they have re-signed forward Kalif Young. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 12.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 27.8 minutes across 43 games this past season with CSU Oradea in the Romanian League. Young also made appearances in the Romania Cup, FIBA Europe Cup, and Basketball Champions League. He recorded eight double-doubles and scored a season-high 20 points in a March 31 win over Brasov. Young's season stats included 546 points, 426 rebounds, 89 assists, 47 steals, and 38 blocks. The Providence College alum completed his collegiate career with averages of 4.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 16.3 minutes per game across 131 games. In his senior year (2019-20), he averaged 5.0 points and 4.9 rebounds while recording several double-digit scoring and rebounding performances. Young previously played for the Scarborough Shooting Stars during the 2023-2024 season, contributing to their CEBL Championship victory with averages of 8.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 26 minutes per game. Kalif joins recent signee NC State standout Terquavion Smith as the Shooting Stars continue their strong start to the 2025 season. The team currently holds a 7-5 record and secured a road victory last night against Winnipeg with a final score of 103-93. Their next game is tomorrow, June 29, on the road against the Edmonton Stingers. The Shooting Stars are led by the dynamic trio of Donovan Williams, Cat Barber, and Terquavion Smith. For more information on the team, tickets, and schedule, visit scarboroughshootingstars.ca . ###
The Scarborough Shooting Stars’ roster is starting to take shape and they appear ready to make some noise. Donovan Williams' return from a four-game absence proved momentous, as the CEBL’s leading scorer put up 30 points to lead the Shooting Stars (7-5) to a 103-93 win over the Winnipeg Sea Bears (5-7) on Friday. While it wasn’t quite a repeat of Scarborough’s dominant showing as last Sunday, a 32-point win against the defending champion Niagara River Lions, the victory did mark back-to-back games setting season-highs in scoring for the Shooting Stars, as they’re now just 0.5 games behind first place in the Eastern Conference. Williams entered the road game averaging a league-best 25.5 points per game (among qualified players) and only increased that lead atop the leaderboard after his game-high 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting to go with six rebounds and four assists. “They made a big run, but we weathered the storm,” Williams said post-game. “We hit a little adversity, but we did all the things we needed to do to win the game.” Right behind him, however, was Terquavion Smith, who finished with 28 points, going 7-for-10 from the free throw line while adding five rebounds and five assists. A late addition to the Shooting Stars, the import is averaging 26.8 points through four games. David Walker’s 12 points and Joirdon Nicholas’s 13 off the bench rounded out Scarborough’s double-digit scoring efforts. “That’s a team win, a gritty road win,” Shooting Stars head coach Mike De Giorgio said after the win. “They hit us back and we just responded. Kudos to our guys, they really locked in.” On the other side, Simi Shittu led the way with 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting, five rebounds and three blocks. Jalen Harris and Tevian Jones also chipped identical lines of 21 points and three assists. “We fought towards the end, (but) it kind of got away from us in the second quarter,” Harris said after Winnipeg’s second straight loss directly after a four-game win streak. “We’ve got to figure it out before we get back for the next one.” Although the outcome resulted in a second consecutive double-digit victory for the Shooting Stars, it wasn’t without its intrigue. Scarborough appeared to be headed towards another emphatic win when it had built a 21-point edge in the first half, thanks to a 14-0 run in the second quarter and withstood a late 11-3 push by Winnipeg to still lead 58-46 at halftime. That lead was largely built thanks to some hot early shooting, going 6-for-10 from distance in the opening frame, and some opportunistic defence as the Shooting Stars forced eight Sea Bears turnovers in the first half. Quite the uncharacteristic showing from Winnipeg considering it averaged just 13.3 per game entering the night, second-fewest in the CEBL. The Sea Bears cleaned things up coming out of the break, however, only giving it away four times the rest of the way, even winning the turnover battle 17-12 by the final buzzer. “It’s all about effort,” Shittu said post-game. “When teams are making runs like that, it’s all about effort, really … we got a lot of talent, guys who can play. It’s just about being connected.” It was that disciplined second half that helped Winnipeg storm back, cutting what was a 14-point halftime deficit as low as five points in the third before trailing 78-70 after 30 minutes. The Sea Bears also made things easier by upping the rim pressure and getting to the line, scoring without burning clock as they finished plus-15 on free throw attempts and went 28-of-37 from the charity stripe. From there, the Sea Bears did give it one last push, cutting down to nine in Target Score Time what was up to a 15-point deficit early in the fourth, but they couldn’t inch any closer as the Shooting Stars duo of Williams and Smith got to work. The pair of imports scored all of Scarborough’s points with the clock stopped, the first four by Williams before Smith’s game-winning layup capped off five straight points from him. Underscoring the victory was the Shooting Stars' dominance on the glass, finishing plus-13 (43-30), with their 14 offensive rebounds good enough to earn a 17-12 edge on second chance points and a plus-10 edge on paint points (54-44). Fronting that effort for Scarborough was Khalil Miller’s 14 rebounds, which tied a single-game franchise record. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600619 Up next The Shooting Stars stay on the road, visiting the Edmonton Stingers on Sunday for the second leg of a three-game road trip. Meanwhile, the Sea Bears depart from Winnipeg to start a three-game road trip of their own, starting by visiting the Ottawa BlackJacks on Tuesday. Next CEBL action The CEBL resumes on Saturday with an Eastern Conference class between the 5-4 Montreal Alliance and 4-6 Ottawa BlackJacks in the nation’s capital. For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -
L’Alliance de Montréal est fière d’annoncer l’acquisition de l’ailier américain Brandon Porter. Le natif de la Virginie de 6’9” se joint à l’organisation après avoir complété la saison 2024-25 avec Frayles de Guasave de la ligue mexicaine CIBACOPA. Porter apporte une production internationale impressionnante à Montréal, ayant maintenu des moyennes de 16,1 points, 6,8 rebonds, 1,0 bloc et 1,6 vols en 29,1 minutes sur 27 rencontres au Mexique. L’ailier polyvalent a réussi 64,2 % de ses lancers, dont 38,6 % de la ligne de trois points et a réalisé une séquence de cinq matchs où il a affiché des performances consécutives de 34, 33, 40, 37 et 35 points. Avant sa carrière professionnelle, Porter a eu un parcours universitaire réussi qui a commencé à l’Université du Wyoming (2018-20) avant de transférer à Humboldt State University et finalement à California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, où il a gradué en 2024. À Cal Poly Pomona, il a maintenu des moyennes de 12,8 points, 4,4 rebonds et 1,5 vols en 26 matchs durant sa dernière saison universitaire. La première saison professionnelle de Porter incluait aussi un passage avec Depiro Rabat Imtarfa à Malte, où il a dominé avec des moyennes de 23,8 points, 11,1 rebonds, 1,9 passes décisives, 2,8 vols et 1,2 blocs par match sur 16 rencontres. Pour respecter la réglementation de la LECB qui limite les équipes à quatre joueurs non canadiens, l’Alliance a libéré l’ailier Anthony Walker. Walker a disputé neuf matchs cette saison, maintenant des moyennes de 9,9 points, 4,1 rebonds et 2,1 passes décisives en 18,8 minutes par match. Porter sera disponible dès le prochain match de l’Alliance. L’équipe détient présentement une fiche de 5-4 et se rend à Ottawa pour affronter les BlackJacks samedi le 28 juin
The Montréal Alliance is proud to announce the acquisition of forward Brandon Porter. The 6’9” Virginia native joins the organization after completing the 2024-25 season with Frayles de Guasave of the Mexican CIBACOPA league. Porter brings impressive international production to Montréal, having averaged 16.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.0 block and 1.6 steals in 29.1 minutes per game across 27 games in Mexico. The versatile forward shot an efficient 64.2% from the field and 38.6% from three-point range. His scoring ability was on full display during a remarkable five-game stretch where he posted consecutive games of 34, 33, 40, 37 and 35 points. Prior to his professional career, Porter had a successful collegiate journey that began at the University of Wyoming (2018-20) before transferring to Humboldt State University and eventually California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, where he graduated in 2024. At Cal Poly Pomona, he averaged 12.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 26 games during his final collegiate season. Porter’s first professional season also included a stint with Depiro Rabat Imtarfa in Malta, where he dominated with averages of 23.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.2 blocks across 16 games. To comply with CEBL regulations limiting teams to four non-Canadian players, the Alliance released forward Anthony Walker. Walker appeared in nine games this season, averaging 9.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 18.8 minutes per game. Porter will be available starting with the Alliance’s next game. The team currently holds a 5-4 record and travels to Ottawa to face the BlackJacks on Sunday, June 28.
A game-winning trifecta from Nate Pierre-Louis secured the first home win of the season for the Saskatchewan Rattlers on Thursday (June 26). Three long-range connections in Target Score Time, including the game-winner from Pierre-Louis, propelled Saskatchewan to the 96-89 win over the Calgary Surge at SaskTel Centre. After the game, Pierre-Louis said he wanted to give the Saskatchewan fans everything they deserve. “We had a different energy about us in shoot around [and] these last couple weeks of practice. We’ve just been so close to winning games and today was a game – we grinded it out … we've been doing this every single game. It's been a grind,” Pierre-Louis said. Saskatchewan has now won both meetings with the 8-4 Calgary this season, defeating the Surge by three points on the road on June 6. Pierre-Louis paced the Rattlers’ offence with a game-high 28 points to go along with five assists. Starters Jordan Bowden, Isaac Simon and Grant Anticevich carried the rest of the offensive load for Saskatchewan. Bowden netted 23 points – including 16 at halftime – while Simon added 15 and Anticevich chipped in 12. Saskatchewan head coach Eric Magdanz said the squad has stayed consistent and stayed together throughout the year despite some tough losses. “It’s pretty special [to get the first home win]. It’s obviously my first win here and to be able to do it in front of my family and a lot of people who I know – to see the excitement and joy in the crowd – I think that’s why we do it,” Magdanz said. For Calgary, the high-powered trio of Greg Brown III, Jameer Nelson Jr. and Sean Miller-Moore led the way again. Brown III tallied a team-high 22 points and eight rebounds, while Nelson Jr. and Miller-Moore scored 19 and 13 respectively. The Rattlers’ effectiveness on the glass made the difference in the contest. Saskatchewan outrebounded Calgary 50-41 and snagged 17 offensive boards on their way to a 17-5 advantage in second-chance points. “We played in stretches, but they did a good job of crashing the glass and they beat us on the boards and I think that dictated the game,” Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said. Brown III said the Surge failed to make key stops late in the game and weren’t good enough on the glass. “They played their game. We didn't play hard. We didn't come and play physically. They came and rebounded and did everything right,” Brown III said. The Surge now fall behind the 8-3 Bandits and into second place in the Western Conference standings just one game after defeating Vancouver and claiming the top spot. In the first quarter, Miller-Moore opened the scoring for Calgary with a historic bucket. “Rugzy’s” strong take to the hoop marked 1,000 all-time regular season points for the CEBL veteran. Miller-Moore reached the 1,000-point milestone for regular season and playoffs against Vancouver earlier in the season. Calgary continued to attack the paint in the opening frame and seized an early lead. The Surge big three of Nelson Jr., Brown III and Miller-Moore all contributed and the team shot 57 per cent to go ahead 28-21 after 10 minutes. The Surge built on their lead in the second with more efficient shooting, extending the advantage to as much as 12. However, the Rattlers were resilient. Led by Bowden and Pierre-Louis, Saskatchewan climbed back to tie the game with less than 30 seconds remaining in the quarter. Brown III broke the tie at the charity stripe on the final possession, taking Calgary into the locker room with a 51-49 lead. To begin the third quarter, Brown III had his athleticism on full display with a windmill dunk on offence and massive rejection on defence. Still, Saskatchewan found its rhythm from mid-range thanks to Pierre-Louis and snagged the lead for the first time since the first quarter. The Western Conference rivals exchanged leads five times in the third, including a buzzer-beating transition layup from Simon that gave Saskatchewan a 72-71 advantage after 30 minutes. Saskatchewan earned its biggest lead of the game at six points after a Pierre-Louis and-one in the fourth, but Calgary came back to tie it once again. A contested finish for Bowden put the Rattlers ahead two before Target Score Time, and the home team made quick work from there. Anticevich, Bowden and Pierre-Louis all connected from beyond the arc to secure the much-needed win on home court. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600618 Up next for both teams Saskatchewan faces another team near the top of the Western Conference with a trip to Vancouver on Saturday (June 28), while Calgary heads east for a matchup with Brampton next Thursday (July 3). Next CEBL action Scarborough visits Winnipeg in an inter-conference meeting on Friday night (June 27). For the full 2025 CEBL schedule and up-to-date results, please visit cebl.ca/games . - CEBL -
The Fayetteville, NC forward adds depth to the Rattlers frontcourt
The CEBL veteran has appeared in 77 career games with Brampton, Ottawa and Saskatchewan
The Vancouver Bandits announced Wednesday that the club will deliver the first-ever Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) game broadcast in Tagalog as part of the Bandits’ second-annual Filipino Celebration Game on Saturday, June 28 at Langley Events Centre (LEC). The historic broadcast can be viewed by fans worldwide for free on the league’s streaming platform, CEBL+ . Fans can use the promo code “TAGALOG” when registering on the platform to unlock free access to the premium annual package at plus.cebl.ca . Tip-off for the Bandits’ Filipino Celebration Game is on Saturday, June 28 at 7:00 p.m. local time, Sunday, June 29 at 10:00 a.m. Philippine time. Delivering the insights and commentary are Renz Cadang and Harold Abejo, organizers of the Surrey, B.C.-based Batang Pinoy Basketball League , one of the largest Filipino men’s recreational basketball leagues in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland region. According to Statistics Canada, as of 2021, 2.7 per cent of the province’s population has knowledge of the Tagalog language. Tagalog also accounts for 6.7 per cent of all non-official language speakers throughout Canada. “I am honoured to be part of this historic night for the Bandits and the CEBL! It’s more than just a game for me, it is a chance to represent and honour not only my culture, but also the ‘pamilya’ and community who have always lifted me up and inspired me every step of the way,” said Cadang, who will serve as the play-by-play commentator for Saturday’s game. “I am truly excited to represent the Filipino community by commentating in Tagalog. This opportunity brings pride to our language and culture, and reflects our deep love for the sport of basketball. It is a significant achievement and I am grateful to be part of it,” added Abejo, who will provide analysis as the game’s colour commentator. The CEBL’s seventh season started in May and has already seen record-breaking crowds in various venues across the league, which features 10 teams across six provinces ranging as far east as Montréal to Vancouver as the league’s westernmost team. Vancouver sits tied for first place atop the CEBL standings, boasting an 8-3 record. “Basketball is a unifying force and today, we’re proud to speak the language of one of Canada’s most passionate communities. Launching the first-ever Tagalog broadcast in CEBL history is a celebration of culture, connection, and belonging,” said Dylan Kular, team president of the Vancouver Bandits. “The Filipino community has been part of our Bandits family since day one, and this milestone is our way of saying salamat po for their unwavering support.” The highly anticipated June 28th game will feature various in-game entertainment and production activations designed to showcase the music, fashion, culture and cuisine of the Philippines, including the debut of a special jersey and logo created by fashion designer Edmond Santelices. A percentage of proceeds from each jersey and t-shirt sold will be donated to the United Way BC KAPWA STRONG Fund and Canadian Red Cross 2025 Vancouver Lapu Lapu Festival Appeal. Adult and youth sizes of the jersey and logo t-shirt are available exclusively online or in-store at ATO Basketball Merchants . ### 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).