Mitch Creek, Tyrese Samuel, Kyle Julius Highlight Winners at 2025 CEBL Awards
CEBL Vancouver Bandits

Mitch Creek, Tyrese Samuel, Kyle Julius Highlight Winners at 2025 CEBL Awards

Published on August 21, 2025 under Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL)
Vancouver Bandits News Release


WINNIPEG, MB - August 21, 2025 - The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced the winners of the 2025 CEBL Awards and the All-CEBL Teams at an event held at The Metropolitan Entertainment Centre (The MET) in Winnipeg, MB, on Thursday evening - the first official event of 2025 Championship Weekend (CW25).

The Vancouver Bandits took home four awards, including forward Mitch Creek, who earned top honours as Most Valuable Player. Centre Tyrese Samuel was named both Canadian Player of the Year and Clutch Player of the Year, while Kyle Julius secured Coach of the Year honours for the second consecutive season.

This also marked the second straight year the Bandits swept the CEBL's top three awards (MVP, Canadian Player, and Coach), repeating the feat achieved by Tazé Moore, Koby McEwen, and Julius in 2024.

The full list of award winners is as follows:

2025 CEBL Award Winners

Most Valuable Player: Mitch Creek (Vancouver Bandits)

Canadian Player of the Year: Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits)

Coach of the Year: Kyle Julius (Vancouver Bandits)

Sixth Man of the Year: Zane Waterman (Ottawa BlackJacks)

Defensive Player of the Year: Jameer Nelson Jr. (Calgary Surge)

Developmental Player of the Year: Isaac Simon (Saskatchewan Rattlers)

Clutch Player of the Year: Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits)

Fox 40 Officiating Recognition Award: Karl Toulouse

All CEBL First Team: Greg Brown III (Calgary Surge), Mitch Creek (Vancouver Bandits), Sean East II (Edmonton Stingers), Javonte Smart (Ottawa BlackJacks), Donovan Williams (Scarborough Shooting Stars)

All CEBL Second Team: Khalil Ahmad (Niagara River Lions), Jameer Nelson Jr. (Calgary Surge), Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits), Simi Shittu (Winnipeg Sea Bears), Terquavion Smith (Scarborough Shooting Stars)

CEBL All-Canadian Team: Keon Ambrose-Hylton (Edmonton Stingers), Quincy Guerrier (Montréal Alliance), Sean Miller-Moore (Calgary Surge), Tyrese Samuel (Vancouver Bandits), Simi Shittu (Winnipeg Sea Bears)

Creek's leadership and production were instrumental in Vancouver's league-best 19-5 record this season. He finished second in the CEBL in scoring with 24.4 points per game, ranked third in three-point percentage (48.6%), and fourth in field goal percentage (58.4%). The 6-foot-5 Australian's 488 total points were the second-highest in the league in 2025 and the fourth-most ever recorded in a single CEBL season. He also ranked among the league's top 10 in several other categories, including free throws made (2nd - 110), field goals made (3rd - 171), minutes played (6th - 687.7), and steals (9th - 30).

In his first CEBL season, Samuel was a dominant force for the Bandits and the only player in the league to average more than 20 points (21.4) and 10 rebounds (10.8) per game. Despite playing just 15 games, the Canadian big man tied for the league lead with six Target Score Winners, earning the Clutch Player of the Year award via a tiebreaking vote over Calgary's Sean Miller-Moore. He also led the CEBL in field goal percentage (65.9), ranked third in rebounds per game, and tied for third with eight double-doubles.

Julius led Vancouver to a .792 winning percentage (19-5) in 2025 - the highest ever over a full, non-pandemic-shortened CEBL season - even with the league's longest and most demanding schedule to date (24 games). The Bandits posted a league-best +250 point differential, more than 50 points ahead of the next closest team, while boasting the top-ranked offence and fourth-ranked defence. Vancouver finished first in total points (2,372), field goals made (868), field goal percentage (48.2), three-pointers made (277), three-point percentage (38.4) and assists (558), and ranked second in steals (208). Despite their high-paced offence, the Bandits committed the third-fewest turnovers (328) and allowed the fourth-fewest points (2,122).

Award nominees, winners and All-CEBL First, Second, and All-Canadian Teams are determined by votes cast by the league's head coaches, general managers, assistant coaches, select league broadcasters, and internal media personnel. Team representatives are prohibited from voting for a player or head coach from their own team.

All CEBL award winners will receive a customized ring from Jostens, the Official Supplier of Award Rings of the CEBL; a custom trophy from protocole, crafted from maple and solid metal with a silkscreened CEBL logo; and a special gift from the league's partner, Foot Locker.

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