The 3-10 Montreal Alliance look to get back on the winning track when they host the 9-5 Fraser Valley Bandits at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday. 

The Bandits have gone 2-3 in their last five games.  Most recently they were defeated by the Ottawa BlackJacks 100-78 on July 8 and they defeated the Newfoundland Growlers 88-81 on July 5 to start their road trip.  Now before returning home, the Bandits travel to Montreal looking to regain some momentum.

In Fraser Valley’s win over Newfoundland, Shane Gibson led the scoring with 25 points, followed by James Karnik with 18 points and Malcolm Duvivier with 17 points.  The guard tandem of Gibson and Duvivier paired alongside Alex Campbell and Kyle Adnam fuel the Bandits scoring and are the primary scorers in many of their games.  With their three-point shooting and ability to create their own shot, they work defences to find their spots in the midrange and knock down at an efficient rate, Gibson and Campbell shooting 62 per cent and 60 per cent in their win against the Growlers.

Karnik has emerged as the main scorer at the forward position for the Bandits, scoring 18 points and 17 points in their last two games.  He will have a vital matchup against the Alliance Ashley Hamilton and Nathan Cayo, two players who have pushed the Alliance offence to a higher level paired alongside the guard scoring of Hernst Laroche, Kemy Osse and Isiah Osborne.

Hamilton scored 23 points in the Alliance 79-72 loss to Hamilton on July 7.  His physicality inside paid dividends for the Alliance who needed to contend with Zane Waterman and Prince Oduro.  The Alliance often got him the ball in the post and he used his footwork to create around the rim.  Now against the Bandits, Hamilton can work the post matched up with the Bandits Murphy Burnatowski, while Cayo stretches the floor going against the shooting of Karnik. 

Like Karnik, Cayo provides a dynamic scoring option with his ability to pull up for a midrange jumper or punish inside the paint getting to the rim.  Both sides have a post that can work at the rim, and a dynamic forward that can extend the floor, and it will be up to the guards to get them the ball in their spots.

Matching up against Gibson, Adnam and Campbell, Montreal is led by Laroche and Alain Louis.  Laroche and Louis combined for seven assists in their loss to Hamilton, and provide the facilitation for the passing Alliance offence, while Dominic Green and Osborne take the opportunities given to them to score.  Osborne is the perimeter threat for the Alliance while Green can use his footwork to create his chances, and going against Adnam and Campbell, it will be about efficiency in the outside threat matchup.

All games will be streamed live internationally on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, and on the CEBL Mobile app for iOS and Android devices.  Games will also be available to stream live in Canada via cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices, and the free CBC Gem streaming service. 

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