The Fraser Valley basketball Bandits have revealed the name of their mascot.
Berry the Bandit will fire up the crowd at the Abbotsford Centre when the brand-new team begins play in the brand-new Canadian Elite Basketball League this May.
The name is the product of a contest launched in partnership with the Highstreet Shopping Centre and the Abbotsford News.
Janine Ebel supplied the winning entry and wins two bronze-level season tickets, a Bandits t-shirt and a photo-op with Berry the Bear at center court.
“We were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of entries that were made for our mascot naming contest,” said Bandits president Lee Genier. “Not only were the names clever, but they were thoughtful and reflected the history and culture that have helped make Abbotsford and the surrounding Fraser Valley the great place that it is today.
“Janine’s entry was the perfect tribute to the berry farming industry that has been the backbone of the region for generations. It’s a nod both to Abbotsford’s past and its promising future.”
Abbotsford is sometimes referred to as the ‘Raspberry Capital of Canada.’
The Fraser Valley, Chilliwack included, is responsible for roughly 95 per cent of B.C.’s berry production thanks to its climate and soil conditions for growing various types of berries, according to B.C’s Ministry of Agriculture.
The CEBL is a professional basketball league that will include the Bandits, Niagara River Lions, Saskatchewan Rattlers, Edmonton Stingers, Hamilton Honey Badgers and Guelph Nighthawks.