Vancouver Bandits Sign High-Scoring Guard Zach Copeland for 2024 CEBL Season
LANGLEY, B.C., March 26, 2024 – The Vancouver Bandits announced Tuesday that the club has signed American guard Zach Copeland for its upcoming season at Langley Events Centre (LEC).
Copeland is currently in the middle of his fourth professional season, suiting up for Bamberg Baskets in the Basketball Bundesliga, the top division of men’s basketball in Germany and a league renowned for helping produce various NBA players, as well as being regarded as a top 10 league globally in terms of its talent pool.
A 6-foot-4 guard from Oakland, Calif., Copeland currently sits fifth in points per game in the Bundesliga, scoring 18.1 points per game while also leading his team in three-pointers made with 83. Rounding out Copeland’s contributions are his four assists and 1.4 steals per game, as well as his 84.4 per cent free throw percentage – all of which are team highs.
“I am excited for what is to come this summer; to experience a great city like Vancouver and to contribute to a prominent organization while keeping my game sharp. I am grateful for the opportunity,” Copeland said.
Copeland will report to the Bandits following the conclusion of his current European pro season. Exclusive single game tickets for the Bandits’ highly anticipated ‘Home Opener Weekend’ featuring games on Thursday, May 23 and Sunday, May 26 are on sale now at
this link.
Copeland is one of the international basketball scene’s rising stars. His prior overseas stops include England (2020-21), Ukraine (2021), Finland (2021-22) and Italy (2022-23).
A proven scorer with each of his previous clubs, Copeland demonstrated his elite production and reliability by helping Pistoia Basket win the Italian Serie A2 championship in 2023 after averaging 15.7 points per game spread over 40 games; culminating in Pistoia’s promotion to the Italian Serie A top division.
“Zach is an elite combo guard who has proven himself at the highest levels in Europe. He has climbed the ladder every year. Zach is a leader and he will definitely enhance our culture. He plays with a ton of passion and energy. I can't wait to get to work with Zach,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius.
Copeland has elevated his game throughout his collegiate and professional career. He began his collegiate tenure at City College of San Francisco where he was named Coast-North Conference Player of the Year and the California Community Colleges Men's Basketball Coaches Association Co-Player of the Year following his second season with the Rams in 2016-17.
His strong play at the junior college level paved the way for Copeland to transfer to Illinois State University where he played two seasons of NCAA Division I basketball with the Redbirds from 2018-20. In his final year at Illinois State, Copeland emerged as not just the Redbirds’ leading scorer, but one of the top players in the Missouri Valley Conference, leading his team with 14.5 points per game, which also ranked him 7th among conference leaders.
The Vancouver Bandits open the club’s sixth season when the club tips off on May 23rd at 7 p.m. for its highly anticipated home opener against the Montréal Alliance.
Vancouver will play a total of 10 regular season home games in 2024 between Thursday, May 23 and Thursday, July 18. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road against Montréal on Sunday, July 28 at 1 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 ticket flexibility or purchasing a bundle of tickets are invited to consider a flex pack or season tickets. More information can be found at thebandits.ca/tickets or by speaking with a Bandits representative by calling (604) 455-8881 or emailing [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 73% of its 2023 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. Fourteen players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. 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.
