Abbotsford– The Fraser Valley Bandits announced Wednesday that the club has signed Shaquille Keith for the upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season.
A six-foot-six native from Toronto, Ont., Keith was a member of the 2019 edition of the Saskatchewan Rattlers that captured the inaugural CEBL championship. Keith starred alongside running mate and recent Bandits signing, Alex Campbell. Keith’s ability to play the guard and forward positions proved essential during the 2019 CEBL playoffs as he averaged 15.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals over the course of two games. In his debut as a Rattler, Keith scored a season-high 27 points to lead Saskatchewan to a 91-79 victory at Fraser Valley on July 27, 2019.
Following his first CEBL season, Keith joined the Ottawa BlackJacks and was a key contributor for the club at the 2020 CEBL Summer Series. Keith averaged 10.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game on 51.4 per cent from the field and 45.5 per cent from three-point range, respectively, in six regular season contests. Keith’s efforts helped the BlackJacks earn a trip to the semifinals where the club ultimately fell 88-75 to the eventual champions, the Edmonton Stingers.
“I can’t wait to get back out on the court and compete with my teammates and to build in our pursuit of bringing a championship to the Bandits,” Keith said.
Keith recently played two games for San Carlos in the Dominican Republic’s TBS League this past spring, averaging 15.5 points, four rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Keith attended Cape Breton University in 2012-2013 where he averaged 13.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 23.1 minutes per game in his only year with the Capers. The Capers finished the regular season with a 19-1 record and ranked second in the nation, earning a berth at the CIS Men’s Final 8 postseason tournament. Keith was named to the U SPORTS (formerly known as Canadian Interuniversity Sport) and the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference’s all-rookie teams, respectively, in 2012-13
