Vancouver Bandits recorded their fifth win in a row on Saturday, June 15, a 98-85 win over Saskatchewan Rattlers at Langley Events Centre (LEC).
Bandits improved to a Canadian Elite Basketball League-best 7-1, and avenged the team’s only loss of the season, a 98-86 setback to those same Rattlers in the season’s third game.
“That was our main focus, knowing that they had given us our only loss. They were our target and we wanted to set a statement for the rest of the league,” said team captain Duane Notice.
“We were definitely motivated to get this win, especially in front of our home fans; they have been a tremendous boost of energy.”
Vancouver head coach and general manager Kyle Julius described Notice, who was pushed into the starting line-up for Saturday’s game, as "our true glue guy."
"He leads our group by his action,” said Julius.
“He is our captain; sacrifices his body, he guards every position. Gets his fingernails on loose balls that get into our hands.”
Vancouver led for all but 3:03 of the game, and that came in the early stages of the opening quarter.
Bandits built a 26-21 lead after 10 minutes and stretched the advantage to as many as 13 before taking a 58-50 lead to the locker room.
Tazé Moore led the team with 25 points, seven rebounds and nine assists while Nick Ward had 21 points and seven boards.
Koby McEwen and Zach Copeland each chipped in with 16 and Diego Maffia came off the bench to score 11, all of which came in the middle two quarters.
Bandits are off to Winnipeg for a quick mid-week road trip to battle the Sea Bears on June 19.
Following that, Vancouver is back at home on June 22 with a visit from the Ottawa BlackJacks to Langley Events Centre as part of the club’s Indigenous Celebration Game.
