Fraser Valley Bandits player Kadre Gray eluded Hamilton Honey Badgers rivals on Tuesday, June 7, during the Langley-based team’s first-ever School Day Game, with 3,900 students from 13 schools in four districts attending. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

3,900 students from 13 schools in the Langley, Surrey, Abbotsford and Mission school districts filled the Langley Events Centre to cheer on the Fraser Valley Bandits against the Hamilton Honey Badgers. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

3,900 students from 13 schools in the Langley, Surrey, Abbotsford and Mission school districts filled the Langley Events Centre to cheer on the Fraser Valley Bandits against the Hamilton Honey Badgers. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

3,900 students from 13 schools in the Langley, Surrey, Abbotsford and Mission school districts filled the Langley Events Centre to cheer on the Fraser Valley Bandits against the Hamilton Honey Badgers. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

3,900 students from 13 schools in the Langley, Surrey, Abbotsford and Mission school districts filled the Langley Events Centre to cheer on the Fraser Valley Bandits against the Hamilton Honey Badgers. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

Fraser Valley Bandits player Kyle Adnam confronted a Hamilton Honey Badgers rival Tuesday, June 7, during the Langley-based team’s first-ever School Day Game, with 3,900 students from 13 schools in four districts attending. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

Fraser Valley Bandits very first “school day game” at Langley Events Centre (LEC) saw 3,900 students from 13 schools in Langley, Surrey, Abbotsford and Mission school districts provide an boisterous audience as the Canadian Elite Basketball League team took on rival Hamilton Honey Badgers late Tuesday morning, June 7.

The young fans cheered and pounded on drums as the two teams tangled.

Bandits were leading 9-0 early in the game, but the Honey Badgers clawed their way back, with both teams trading the lead until it was near the end, when Hamilton netted 11 points in four minutes to take the 80-68 win.

For the first 30 minutes against the Hamilton Honey Badgers at LEC, the Bandits sank 14 of their 31 attempts from beyond the arc, shooting a 45.2 per cent as Murphy Burnatowski sank five triples and Alex Campbell and Shane Gibson hit four each.

But after Burnatowski opened the Elam Ending with his sixth three-pointer, pulling Fraser Valley to within a point at 68-69, the Bandits missed their remaining four shots – three of them from beyond the arc – and Hamilton scored the game’s final 11 points for the 80-68 victory.

Fraser Valley Bandits player Kyle Adnam took his shot against Hamilton Honey Badgers rivals Tuesday, June 7, during the Langley-based team’s first-ever School Day Game, with 3,900 students from 13 schools in four districts attending. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

“As the game went on, you could see the physicality from Hamilton become a factor. At the end of it, they did a great job defensively, making us work for scores,” said Bandits’ coach Mike Taylor. “We got out-played in Elam Ending, but you really have to give a lot of credit to the way Hamilton played today.”

Badgers avenged their lone loss of the season, which came against Fraser Valley back in Hamilton on May 27.

Hamilton now sits in first place at 4-1 while the Bandits drop to a three-way tie for third place at 3-2.

Bandits’ Shane Gibson was named player of the game with 22 points.

Bandits’ next away game is a road trip match against the Edmonton Stingers on Wednesday June 15.

Their next home game is against the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Saturday June 18 at the LEC.

Class dismissed. 😔

Thanks to @langleyschools, @abbotsfordsd, @surrey_schools and @mpsd75 for making our first-ever School Day Game unforgettable. 👏#IAmValley x #OurGame pic.twitter.com/EczD2iuxn7

— Fraser Valley Bandits (@FVBandits) June 7, 2022

Bandits games are available on CEBL+ live internationally.

Partial season ticket packages, as well as group and single game tickets are available for purchase at thebandits.ca/tickets. Fans are asked to call 604-866-0529 or email tickets@thebandits.ca for any questions or ticket related inquiries.

More pictures from the game can be viewed online at the Langley Advance Times Facebook page.

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