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Fraser Valley Bandits big man Brandon Gilbeck named Defensive Player of the Year

Canadian Elite Basketball League honours big man at league awards on Aug. 18, next game on Friday
Ben Lypka
Ben Lypka
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Brandon Gilbeck of the Fraser Valley Bandits was named the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Defensive Player of the Year on Aug. 18. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)

For the first time ever, a member of the Fraser Valley Bandits has earned a Canadian Elite Basketball League individual player award.

Bandits big man Brandon Gilbeck was named the CEBL’s Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday (Aug. 18) after a spectacular debut season in Abbotsford.

The Wisconsin native led the league with 2.8 blocks per game and also finished fourth in rebounds by averaging 7.7. Gilbeck’s block totals were the most in league history for one season. He individually collected more blocks than the entire Saskatchewan Rattlers and Ottawa Blackjacks teams.

Gilbeck was signed by the Bandits back in June and also contributed offensively with 14.1 points and 1.3 assists per game. He also shot an impressive 61 per cent from the field.

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The Bandits have traveled to Edmonton for CEBL Championship weekend and next take on the Niagara River Lions on Friday (Aug. 20) at 4 p.m. Abbotsford time. The game can be seen nationally on CBC.

If the Bandits win on Friday they move on to the CEBL Championship Game to take on either the Edmonton Stingers or the Blackjacks. That game will tip-off at 1 p.m. Abbotsford and will also be broadcast nationally on CBC.

For more on the weekend, visit cebl.ca/CW-Schedule.

Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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