Reading between the lines sheds light on Julius’ offseason focus: Upgrading the guard position, adding a group of experienced playmakers and making all the guards battle for roles and playing time. Well travelled, experienced, familiar and hard-nosed, these six newcomers will help establish the culture of the Fraser Valley Bandits. 

Junior Cadougan, because of his success with Marquette University and Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team, is the biggest name of the newcomers. Built like an NFL running back, Cadougan’s ability to get into the paint could land him as a starter on opening night of the CEBL Summer Series tournament. Cadougan is not your classic point guard, but he is a great late clock shot creator that has both a right and left killer crossover – reminiscent of former NBA all-star Tim Hardaway. His shooting will most likely determine his role. His last two seasons in the NBLC, Cadougan has hovered around 30 per cent from three-point range. Playing off the ball, his shooting will have to improve to unlock his full potential. 

Kyle Johnson could also start at the two for the Bandits. Of all the new guards, Johnson at six-foot-five appears to be the best one-on-one scorer and one of the better shooters on the team. A volume scorer at Long Island University, Johnson averaged double figures every season he played at the NCAA Division I level. Overseas, he is a hired gun, asked to end late possessions from the mid-range like many great forward scorers from the 1980s. When watching his highlights in Iceland, one marvels at how he was able to score from isolation areas near the high post. Johnson appears to be a throwback, but he does have the touch necessary to extend out to the three-point line. Based on the tape, Johnson could be one of the primary scoring options the team lacked last season. 

Julius will be able to rely on one thing: Marcus Capers will be able to guard any guard in the CEBL. An import from Winter Haven, Fla., and the reigning NBLC defensive player of the year, Capers played for Julius’ rendition of the London Lightning that won the 2017 NBLC championship with Johnson and Cadougan at the core as well. At six-foot-four with arms for days, Capers could potentially be the team’s best all-around athlete. A defensive beast, Capers stuffs the stat sheet and is a capable shot creator off the pick and roll. Capers is more than just a one-dimensional defender and will be relied on heavily to lock up the league’s premier offensive threats, which will allow other Bandits guards to focus on the offensive end. 

Malcolm Duvivier, Jahenns Manigat and Jabs Newby round out the list of guards acquired through free agency. All three are gritty two-way guards. Newby projects as a back-up point guard, with some potential at the two position when called upon in a pinch. A defensive guard by trade, Newby is a master of the chase down block, a feature usually held by a guard much larger than six-foot-two. Manigat, a four-year man from Creighton University who also served as the Bluejays’ captain for three years, is a quick trigger shooter that is ready to let it fly from all over the floor. In his pro seasons overseas, Manigat has shot over 40 per cent from three-point distance several times. Lastly, Duvivier is the wild card of the entire group. Standing six-foot-two and built like a defensive end, Duvivier can squeeze through tight spaces and explode above the rim for highlight reel dunks. The youngest of the six guards at 25, Duvivier still has room to grow as a pro and could be a “three-and-D” guy for the Bandits this summer. 

Julius is tasked with overhauling a roster that features only one returning player from last season, local Abbotsford product and Yale Secondary School alumnus Marek Klassen. A roster’s success is dependent on the ability to control the ball offensively and stop the ball defensively. Knowing Julius’ track record and reputation as a “player’s coach,” this group will compete and fight on every possession, which bodes well for the Bandits’ ability to handle most of the league’s top offensive threats, while also offering more options for shot creation in late shot clock scenarios. Time will tell if this is truly the year of the Bandit.

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Andrew Savory

Director of Operations

Fraser Valley Bandits