Vancouver Tournament Recap: A Milestone Weekend for Calgary Impact

Date: May 30 – June 1, 2025 

Event: BC Basketball Festival 

Location: Vancouver, BC 

Hosted By: Vancouver Bandits & Primetime Sports Co

Our second annual trip to Vancouver marked another milestone for Calgary Impact — not only in performance but in bringing a higher level of unity. For the first time, we brought two teams (Team Red and Team White) to the BC Basketball Festival, an increasingly competitive event on the Canadian club circuit. The weekend was a chance for players and coaches to grow, connect, and gain valuable exposure in one of Canada’s strongest basketball markets.

“Seeing the progression we’ve had every year — both in terms of our on-court performance and the overall quality of the trip — makes me proud. Each visit to Vancouver gets better. We’re excited to come back and compete again.” — Coach Nate (Team White Head Coach) 

Team Rosters

Team Red 

• Dominic Gajdos 

• Jaden Rutherford 

• Karl Suwanakhosit 

• Luka Baal 

• Jayveon Anderson 

• Sam Gauley 

• Munir Abdi 

• Nyoun Pal 

• Gurshaan Marahar 

• Akin Akinbile 

• Kingston Agwu-Emele

Team White 

• Subhan Sohail 

• Gursehaj Kaura 

• Izunna Ezike-Dennis 

• Moe Rehan 

• Sahijber Dhaliwal 

• Armaan Dhaliwal 

• Sultan Nour 

• Daniel Guot 

• Josiah Erickson 

• Joseph Alba 

• Karan Singh 

• Guarav Sohi

Purpose of the Trip

• Player Exposure: Competing in a larger basketball market like Vancouver gave our players a glimpse into the next level.

• Program Unity: Trips like this deepen relationships between players, coaches, and families, building a stronger foundation for the future of our club.

Day 1 – Travel & Team Bonding

On Friday, May 30, our group of 20 players and 5 coaches flew round-trip with Flair Airlines. All transportation within Vancouver was provided by a chartered bus, thanks to our partner Benjamin and Rent A Bus Vancouver. The reliable travel between the airport, Airbnb, and the tournament venue made the experience smooth and stress-free for our players and staff. The teams stayed together in a spacious three-level, nine-bedroom Airbnb located near the iconic Capilano Suspension Bridge. The Airbnb was equipped with ping pong, pool tables, a hot tub, and a big TV (where most of the boys hung out and watched basketball for hours while joking around in the living room).

We spent the afternoon walking the Capilano nature trail, one of Canada’s most scenic attractions. This experience provided a good way to get our legs moving after the flight and also allowed for reflection on what was to come, while strengthening the bond between players. This bond later became visible on the court throughout the weekend.

Day 2 – Competition Begins

Saturday brought the first real test of the trip, as both teams played two games each at the Langley Events Centre. The level of competition was extremely high, especially over what we were used to in Calgary, featuring elite clubs from across the Vancouver area.

The atmosphere at Langley was electric, amplified even further by the CEBL matchup between the Calgary Surge and Vancouver Bandits in the same facility. Our players had the opportunity to interact with some of the Bandits athletes — a motivating highlight for many of the boys.

Day 3 – Final Games and a Heartbreaker

Sunday wrapped with one final game for each team. Team White closed out their tournament on a high note, showing growth and competitiveness.

Team Red, meanwhile, faced a strong JR Elite team from Langley, BC, in a nail-biting game full of back-and-forth scorelines. Despite a valiant effort, they fell short by just one point after a buzzer-beater in the fourth quarter.

“Playing with Calgary Impact for the past three years has been one of the best experiences of my life. This club has helped me grow not just as a player, but as a person. Vancouver was amazing — everything was organized from start to finish. I’m proud to be part of this program.” — Subhan Sohail (Team White Player, founding Calgary Impact Member) 

Final Thoughts

This Vancouver trip represented everything Calgary Impact is about — development, culture, and opportunity. From the perspective of the coaches and staff at Impact, we felt that we accommodated everyone's individual and group needs. If we were to do anything differently with this trip for next year, it would be to start our season with a trip like this, rather than ending the season. The reason is that the rhythm and camaraderie the players built as a team are highly beneficial for a trip like this, which can translate into greater success on the court.

Overall, we’re proud of how our players represented themselves in this tournament and as a whole for this trip, and we’re already looking forward to building on this momentum next year.

Sincerely,

Coach Wahid & the Calgary Impact Team