Bandits Clinch Playoff Berth in Thrilling Comeback Victory
CEBL Vancouver Bandits

Bandits Clinch Playoff Berth in Thrilling Comeback Victory

Published on July 18, 2026 under Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL)
Vancouver Bandits News Release


Vancouver Bandits celebrate win
Vancouver Bandits celebrate win
(Vancouver Bandits)

LANGLEY, BC - Trailing by 22 points, it looked like it simply wasn't the Vancouver Bandits' night.

To their credit, the Bandits chipped away at the deficit, cutting it to 10 heading into Target Score Time before eventually pulling even at 91 against the visiting Montreal Alliance.

The Alliance then went to the free throw line with a chance to seal the victory. Instead, Jack Hemphill made the first but missed the second, leaving the door open.

Vancouver's Jarrell Eddie grabbed the defensive rebound to ignite the fast break before Shamar Givance knocked down the game-winning jumper, sending the Country Night crowd at Langley Events Centre home celebrating an improbable 93-92 victory, the largest comeback in franchise history.

With the victory, the Bandits have qualified for the CEBL playoffs for a seventh season in a row.

The win moves Vancouver into a tie for first place atop the Canadian Elite Basketball League's Western Conference at 12-7, while Montreal falls to 8-11 and remains fifth in the Eastern Conference, just outside the playoff picture.

"Our mindset, our will to not lose," said Bandits interim head coach Rans Brempong about what changed with the team trailing 68-46 with just over four minutes to play in the third quarter.

"That's what I've told the team is the gift and the curse: we can be as good as we want to be. I'm proud of them. They showed what we could do, how we could play defense and how that translates to offense, but we got to be able to do that consistently. It takes discipline."

"One stop at a time, one possession at a time. You can't get it all back at one time. So just go out there, get a stop, hopefully get a bucket. Get a stop, get a bucket, get a stop, get a bucket," said Vancouver's Tyrese Samuel, who led the team with 24 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.

"And I think we did that at a really high rate, especially going into the fourth. It showed the fight that we actually have and we need to continue going into every game, starting with the fight that we ended the game with."

Samuel was one of three Bandits to score in double figures, joined by Eddie with 18 points and James Karnik, who recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Both were making their Bandits debuts, although Karnik had previously played for the organization and only arrived the morning of the game.

For Alliance coach Jermaine Smalls, the loss felt like déjà vu.

"I've said to them and I've said to other people, we win the four quarters, but we don't win the fifth quarter," he said, alluding to Target Score Time.

"But at the end of the day, I'm just proud of the effort we gave. And you know what? We missed the free throw to win the game, so it's part of the game."

Montreal had five players score in double figures, led by 17 points apiece from Jack Hemphill and Blondeau Tchoukuidgno. Kevin Osawe, Prince Oduro and Keeshawn Barthelemy each added 13.

The Bandits will head out on a two-game road trip, visiting the Calgary Surge on July 21 before facing the Winnipeg Sea Bears on July 23 in a matchup between the teams tied for first place in the Western Conference.

The team's next home game at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre is on July 25 (6:00pm) against the Saskatoon Mamba.

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Vancouver Bandits celebrate win
Vancouver Bandits celebrate win
   



Canadian Elite Basketball League Stories from July 18, 2026


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