Since assuming a starting role, Emmanuel Bandoumel has been a leader offensively for the CEBL’s Saskatchewan Rattlers.
Emmanuel Bandoumel is taking his best shot.
He’s making the best of his opportunity with the Saskatchewan Rattlers.
Thrust into a starting role after the mid-season departure of starters Jalen Harris, Elijah Harkless, Bryson Williams and Maurice Calloo, the 6-foot-4 guard has clearly stepped up his play in the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
He’s gone from a backup depth role, as a high-energy defensive sparkplug, to one of the team leaders offensively and in the locker room, along with CEBL veteran Cody John.
“Emmanuel’s been great,” said Rattlers head coach Larry Abney, whose team (6-10) plays its final game of the regular season Thursday night (7:30 p.m.) at home against the Edmonton Stingers (11-7) as Saskatchewan chases the Winnipeg Sea Bears (7-8) for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
“Emmanuel and Cody have both been great. Just getting our new guys involved (with the mid-season changes), Emmanuel’s been awesome. Not just from the scoring point of view but he’s stepped up in the locker room, as well. He’s become a voice. He’s kind of like a quiet personality but his voice is starting to get heard. All these guys are starting to feel the urgency. And, again, just a little more, a little bit more (is needed).”
Bandoumel has not only met expectations, offensively. He’s exceeded them. The Quebec City product has excelled in the recent games, averaging more than 21 points per game in the last six starts.
He had 25 points in the Rattlers’ loss Sunday to the visiting Calgary Surge. He had his season-high 29 points and eight rebounds against the Scarborough Shooting Stars earlier in the month and 27 points against the Stingers when the teams last played in Edmonton.
After limited minutes through the first half of the season, he is now averaging 10.3 points, 2.2 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.
“It’s just about seizing the opportunity and making the best out of it, really,” said Bandoumel.
“I’ve been staying in the gym and believe in my abilities, like being a scorer and being a two-way guy. I think that’s mostly what I had to remind myself of, especially with all the players that we lost, due to the (NBA) Summer League or other circumstances. At the same time, it’s just about me trusting myself, me trusting the work that I’ve put in and just being able to show everyone the brightest light.”
Bandoumel played NCAA Division One basketball at Southern Methodist University and University of Nebraska. After the COVID pandemic pause, he started 50 consecutive games for SMU, averaging 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists. The Mustangs finished second in the AAC Conference with a 13-4 record during his senior year.
With the NCAA’s extended eligibility after COVID, Bandoumel transferred to Nebraska. He started 20 consecutive games, averaging 8.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Prior to Bandoumel’s mid-season injury, the Huskers were ranked in the top 35 nationally for their defense, largely due to Bandoumel’s pressure on the defensive end.
He made his pro debut this past winter in Denmark with the Svendborg Rabbits of Basketligaen, averaging 15.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Abney said the Rattlers expected him to be a top-notch defender. Everything else is a bonus.
“A defender and somebody who will take open shots,” said Abney, who also coaches the NBA G League Ontario Clippers. “We’re asking all of these guys to do a lot, to do a little bit more than what they’re used to doing. Again, this is a great lesson for all of these guys as well.
“Obviously, we want success in the season that we’ll have, but this is going to be good and plant a seed for their success moving forward because they’ve been in this situation (fighting for a playoff spot).”
MID-SEASON ROSTER OVERHAUL
The Rattlers have been reeling since a rash of injuries and departures mid-season decimated the roster and forced some changes.
“That’s what happens in the professional world, especially in the CEBL with all the (other) leagues going on during the summer,” said Bandoumel.
“Teams are going to lose a lot of guys. For us, especially, we lost more guys than most (teams) in the entire league. At the same time, it’s just about basketball, playing together, playing for each other and playing hard and that’s what it comes down to in the end. It’s just being able to adapt to whatever situation. We’re professional. At the end of the day, it’s about putting the ball in the basket and restrain the other team from doing that.”
Bandoumel said he didn’t know what to expect when he joined the Rattlers for his CEBL debut, but he knew what he was capable of, given the chance.
“For me, whenever I sign with a team, I know my value so I’m whatever (they want),” he said of his role. “When I come into the first practice, I want to dictate the tempo and show everybody that I can be either the best player on the team, or one of the best players on the team, but at the same time, I’m a selfless guy so I will do whatever the team needs me to do so we can get some wins.”
The Rattlers are coming off a tough loss to Calgary and yet another blown lead.
“For us, it’s about us learning from this last game and at the same time we need to have a short memory,” Bandoumel said.
“We still have a chance to actually make it to the playoffs and we still believe in it. Now it’s just about controlling what we can control. (Sunday’s loss) is behind us. We have to learn from it, fix what we’ve got to fix and we’re looking forward to the four (games) that will be in front of us.”
Saskatchewan can still catch Winnipeg. Those teams will meet Saturday night in Winnipeg.
“We’re in a race with Winnipeg,” said Abney. “I know that Winnipeg’s definitely within our reach.”
The key?
“Just (playing) 40 minutes,” added Abney. “That was something I was preaching to that first group (that started the season for the Rattlers). I mean, I’ve said this to the second group but I had it already engrained in that first group. So we’ve got to get that 40-minute mentality. We can’t get ahead and start thinking we can rest. We can’t get ahead and think we have a minute to spare. We have to play with the urgency that we’re down 20 and the composure that we’re up 20 — if I can get that message to our guys, I think we’ll be fine.”
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