‘Experience of a lifetime’: Saskatoon Mamba return from Yukon journey

Saskatoon Mamba head coach Isaiah Fox instructs Devonté Bandoo and Jamir Chaplin during a practice on Tuesday (Keenan Sorokan/CTV News)

Coaches and players with the Saskatoon Mamba have returned from the Yukon with new perspectives and plenty of pride after showcasing professional basketball to a new audience.

The Mamba and the Calgary Surge played in the 2026 REAL North Classic in Whitehorse last Friday, where the Mamba won 96-92 in the first professional basketball game played in the territory.

While winning was the ultimate goal, the team is savouring the unique experience of going to northern Canada.

“Unique in every way,” Mamba head coach Isaiah Fox said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It was beautiful out there. I would just say the experience was once in a lifetime.”

Both teams got to learn plenty about each other as they slept in the same hotel, played in the smaller Takhini Arena where 1,532 fans cheered them on and of course, experienced the northern environment that caught many off guard.

Jamir Chaplin was the star performer on Friday, with a game-high 26 points to go along with nine rebounds and three assists.

Despite the performance, preparing for the game was a challenge.

Chaplin is from Georgia, and said he started to feel far away from home when there was still daylight well into the night.

“When it got to 12, I’m like, ‘Yo, when’s the sun going to go down?’” Chaplin said.

“When I wake up in the middle of the night around 2 or 3 a.m., there’s still light outside. But it was a crazy experience.”

After playing 10 games for the then-Saskatchewan Rattlers in 2025, a leg injury ended Chaplin’s season early.

The Yukon trip was the latest unique circumstance thrown his way after recovering from his injury.

The Mamba guard has also recently dealt with adjusting to a new team name, a new venue at Merlis Belsher Place, new teammates as well as a new coaching staff.

“It definitely feels good,” Chaplin said. “ ... To come out there and go for 26 points and show people that there’s some good basketball here in Canada.”

Veteran Devonté Bandoo says the trip is something he’ll tell his children and grandchildren about one day. But on Monday, he said it was northern inflation that stuck out the most.

“Inflation is crazy over there,” he said.

He spent $20 on a routine trip to Subway that would normally cost $11 in Saskatoon.

Still, Bandoo relished the opportunity to be up north. Growing up in Brampton, Ont., Bandoo says he has family all over Canada and was the first one to go to the Yukon, where he says the people welcomed the league with open arms.

“It was just a great ball of joy seeing all the kids and even the adults showing so much love to both teams,” he said. “It was a great experience. The crowd was super loud [and] even the [basketball] camp had a great turnout.”

Even though Bandoo is from Canada, he was also taken aback by the sun not setting.

“It kind of tricks the mind thinking it’s still morning, but it’s really late at night,” he said.

Fox says travelling to Yukon was on an entirely different level compared to his experience in Saskatoon so far.

He said the team was able to go to a hot spring and travel outside the city during its day off.

Fox said he’s proud to have been part of the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s efforts in establishing a legacy in northern Canada.

“We [really felt] the pulse of the community up there and how much they like basketball or even love basketball,” Fox said.

“We take great pride. That’s the first one. I’m sure there are going to be more games up there, but we won the first one — so they can’t take that away from us.”