Bandits Stay Perfect with 104-95 Victory Over Edmonton
The Vancouver Bandits continued their red-hot start to the 2025 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season, remaining undefeated with a hard-fought 104-95 road win over the Edmonton Stingers on Friday night.
The victory pushes Vancouver's record to a league-best 5-0, matching the second-best start in CEBL history.
Led by the dynamic duo of Mitch Creek and Kyle Mangas, who combined for 53 points, the Bandits weathered a late push from the home team to secure their fifth straight win.
The triumph solidifies Vancouver's position atop the CEBL standings as they continue to establish themselves as the team to beat early in the campaign.
"We're taking it one game at a time, but there's no doubt we're feeling good about where we're at," said Bandits head coach Kyle Julius after the game. "This group has really come together quickly and they're playing some great basketball right now."
Dynamic Duo Leads the Charge
Friday's contest at the Edmonton Expo Centre was a rematch of the two teams' meeting just last week, which saw Vancouver dominate in a 109-79 rout. This time around, the Stingers put up a much tougher fight, but ultimately couldn't overcome the Bandits' firepower.
Mangas, the sharpshooting guard out of Indiana, paced the Bandits with an efficient 27 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including several clutch buckets down the stretch. The 24-year-old also dished out 8 assists, showcasing his playmaking ability.
"I really tried to get my teammates involved and just make the right play," Mangas said post-game. "Basketball is fun when everyone's involved out there and touching the ball. If I have a shot, I'm going to take it – my team expects me to do that – but I'm trying to get others involved too."
Not to be outdone, Creek stuffed the stat sheet with 26 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds. The Australian veteran continues to be a steadying presence for Vancouver, providing leadership both on and off the court.
A Tale of Two Halves
The game was a tale of two halves, with Edmonton hanging tough early before the Bandits seized control after halftime.
To start the game, Vancouver jumped out to an early 11-0 lead, but the Stingers responded with a 19-4 run to close the first quarter up by three.
The second quarter saw the two teams trading blows, with Creek and Edmonton's Sean East II engaging in an entertaining back-and-forth duel. Creek's late surge helped Vancouver take a narrow 48-46 lead into the break.
"We knew they'd come out with more fire after last week," Julius noted. "I thought our guys showed really good fight to weather that early storm and take control in the second half."
Indeed, it was in the third quarter where the Bandits began to impose their will. Creek's playmaking and Mangas' hot shooting stretched Vancouver's lead, with a Curtis Hollis bucket pushing the advantage to 77-65 heading into the fourth.
Clutch Performance Down the Stretch
Edmonton refused to go quietly, however. Scottie Lindsey caught fire in the final frame, pouring in 16 of his 20 points to keep the Stingers within striking distance. But every time Edmonton threatened to close the gap, Mangas and Creek had an answer.
The Indiana native Mangas was particularly clutch, connecting on a pair of four-point plays to maintain Vancouver's cushion. As the game entered CEBL's unique "Elam Ending" format – where teams play to a target score rather than a timed finish – the Bandits held a 14-point edge.
Lindsey's hot shooting nearly led an improbable Edmonton comeback, but Creek and Mangas steadied the ship for Vancouver. Creek's contested three-pointer pushed the Bandits to the brink of victory before Mangas fittingly sealed the deal with a catch-and-shoot triple.
"Those two were just phenomenal tonight," Julius said of his star duo. "When you have guys who can create and hit tough shots like that, it makes my job a whole lot easier."
Edmonton Shows Fight Despite Loss
While the loss was disappointing for Edmonton, dropping them to 2-3 on the young season, head coach Jordan Baker saw positives in his team's resilient effort.
"We're still early in the season and we want to learn from our experiences and learn from every game," Baker said. "We definitely have some things to clean up but the guys showed some resilience and some effort after getting down early."
East matched Mangas with 27 points to lead the Stingers, while Nick Hornsby contributed 17 points and 9 rebounds in defeat. But it wasn't quite enough to derail the Bandits' perfect start.
Making CEBL History
Vancouver's 5-0 record puts them in rarefied air, matching the 2021 Edmonton squad for the second-best start in CEBL history. Only that same Edmonton team's 7-0 opening in 2021 tops the Bandits' current run.
The victory also wrapped up a successful two-game road swing for Vancouver, who showed no signs of fatigue despite the travel.
"I thought they showed really good fight. I thought our leadership really showed out there, and we got great contributions," Julius added. "Then we were better with that in the second half and I thought the bench was really good in the second half."
Looking Ahead
The Bandits will look to keep their unblemished record intact when they return home to Langley on Sunday to face the surging Calgary Surge.
It promises to be an electric atmosphere at the Langley Events Centre as the Fraser Valley faithful welcome back their red-hot squad. There will be a pre-game BBQ tailgate starting at 2:00pm, and tip-off is at 5:00pm.
Fans can buy tickets for Sunday's game at the link below.
Meanwhile, Edmonton will try to regroup before heading east to take on the Montreal Alliance next Friday.
As the CEBL season heats up, all eyes are on the Vancouver Bandits as they continue to set the pace. With Creek and Mangas leading the charge and a deep supporting cast, this could be the start of something special brewing in Langley and the Fraser Valley.
References and Highlights
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