Vancouver Bandits Re-Sign Second Team All-Star Shane Gibson for 2023 CEBL Season
LANGLEY, B.C., March 16, 2023 – The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has re-signed its 2022 leading scorer Shane Gibson for his second consecutive Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season with BC’s professional basketball team.
A 6-foot-2 guard from Killingly, Conn., Gibson made an instant impression in his CEBL debut. The talented sharpshooter played in 19 games and averaged a team-high 18.7 points, shot 47.5 per cent from the field (second on team), while also ranking second in assists (3.2) and fourth in rebounds per game (4.4) among Bandits players that dressed in at least 12 regular season games.
Gibson’s scoring prowess ranked him among the CEBL’s best and he was named a member of the
All-CEBL Second Team on Sept. 7, 2022. His points per game average positioned him in the league’s top 10, while his sharpshooting from long distance placed him second among league leaders for three-pointers made (59). In addition to converting on a high volume of his three-point attempts, Gibson is deadly accurate. His 42 per cent accuracy from three-point range placed him fifth in the league and second on the Bandits behind only Malcolm Duvivier.
"I always enjoy playing basketball in Canada. Last summer was my second stint in the country and I really appreciated the fan support and community. I know Vancouver will be fun. As for the on-court journey with my fellow soldiers, we have unfinished business. Last year ended way too soon and very short of our goal. This summer we get another opportunity to bring the trophy where it belongs,” Gibson said.
The 33-year-old guard is no stranger to scoring alongside league leaders. Gibson was a three-time All-Northeast Conference (NEC) selection and is the all-time leading scorer in Sacred Heart University (SHU) NCAA Division I program history. He averaged 17.2 points per game over the course of four seasons for the Sacred Heart Pioneers between 2008-2013.
Gibson is more than just a scorer. He is a winner. He has won league titles with AEK Larnaca (Cyprus) in 2018 and also earned accolades as a champion and most valuable player for his efforts with BC Beroe in the Balkan International Basketball League (BIBL) during the 2016-17 season.
Following his first year with the Bandits last summer, Gibson has brought his talents to two clubs, suiting up for Defensor Sporting Club in Uruguay before later signing with his current club, Turkey’s TED Ankara Kolejliler.
“We are really excited to welcome Shane back. He was a tremendous leader for us last season and his ability to spark an offence and make big plays is second to none. He is going to be a huge part of our family and he will surely enhance our culture,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius.
The Bandits tip-off the 2023 CEBL campaign on Saturday, May 27 when the club takes on the Winnipeg Sea Bears at Canada Life Centre. Fans will have their first chance to watch Gibson and company on home soil at 7 p.m. PT on Saturday, June 3 when Vancouver welcomes the Calgary Surge for its first-ever visit to LEC.
Season tickets for the fifth season of Bandits Basketball are available for purchase and can be accessed by
clicking here. A full seat map, price chart breakdown, season schedule and a complete list of season ticket holder benefits can be found by
clicking here.
A key highlight of Vancouver’s fifth CEBL campaign will be its hosting of Championship Weekend, which takes place between Friday, August 11 and Sunday, August 13. An annual celebration of the highest level of Canadian professional basketball,
Championship Weekend features a postseason format that combines three games of playoff basketball as part of a multi-day festival experience designed to celebrate the intersection of arts, culture and sport.
As hosts of Championship Weekend, the Bandits receive an automatic semifinal berth.
Individuals interested in learning more about tickets for the Vancouver Bandits’ 2023 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.
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).
About the CEBL
A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 71 percent of its 2022 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May through August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.
