Fraser Valley Bandits announced Thursday that the club has re-signed general manager Kyle Julius for the team’s upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season playing out of Langley Events Centre (LEC).
Julius also served as Fraser Valley’s head coach at the CEBL Summer Series in 2020, but will serve solely as the team’s general manager in 2022.
The 2022 CEBL campaign will be Julius’ third season at the helm as general manager of the Bandits. Under Julius’ direction, the Bandits earned trips to the finals and semifinals in 2020 and 2021.
“We were one possession away from being in the championship game for a second year in a row. We understand the process and steps required to build upon that,” Julius commented.
“We are looking forward to building another team centered around our values, driven by our passion and focused on the growth and development of our players.”
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During the CEBL offseason, Julius serves as head coach and general manager of the Formosa Dreamers, in the Plus League, a Taiwanese men’s professional basketball league founded in 2020.
Bandits forward and 2021 CEBL defensive player of the year Brandon Gilbeck is currently signed by Formosa for the upcoming season and will continue his development under Julius’ instruction this winter.
Bandits president Dylan Kular said Julius “has proven to be adept in his ability to construct a roster of high-level professionals who compete for one another, and are dedicated members of the community that are willing to sacrifice whatever it takes in our collective pursuit of a CEBL championship.”
Dreamers advanced to the league finals in 2020-21, ultimately falling to the Fubon Braves.
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Fraser Valley Bandits are the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).
The CEBL’s fourth season is set to start in May 2022.
Four straight sell-outs in 2021. The whole Valley came through last season. Who's ready to fill @langleyevents in 2022? 👀
— Fraser Valley Bandits (@FV_Bandits) October 1, 2021
Secure your tickets today! 🎟️ https://t.co/VcZoa1rFHj#IAmValley x #OurGame pic.twitter.com/3QmvT9JQYG
CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 percent of its current rosters being Canadians.
Bandits were one of the league’s top teams, finishing the regular season with a 5-2 record at home, which was punctuated by a 104-84 quarterfinal playoff victory in front of a sold-out crowd at Abbotsford Centre on Aug. 15.
Fraser Valley ultimately fell 84-82 in the semifinals against Niagara.
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