The Stingers Men’s Basketball team took on the Bishop Gaiters in an extremely close game on Friday night. Luckily, the home team came out on top, winning by two points with a final score of 69-67.
The first period started with an easy basket by the Stingers in the first few seconds. Things seemed to be going well for the home team until the Gaiters started shooting for three-pointers when they couldn’t penetrate Concordia’s defence. The first period finished quickly with a final score of 21-12 for the visiting team, which included three three-pointers and one slam dunk.
In the second period the Stingers managed to keep the Gaiters from scoring in the first couple of minutes with a strong joint defence by Sebastien Martin and Vali Lazarescu. Back and forward steals kept the game moving until Decee Krah was fouled under the basket. He nailed the two free throws and seconds later Pierre Thompson swooshed his first three pointer of the game, bringing the score to 23-17. Then Krah took charge, sinking his first three pointer of the game right after a basket from the Gaiters to make the score 25-20.
After a nice play by Bishop and a of couple fouls, Stingers point guard Hamza Ruhezamihigo joined the ranks of his teammates with two three-pointers. The fast-paced second period ended with the Stingers defence getting overthrown by the Gaiters’ strong charges to the basket, bringing the final score to 38-19 at the half.
The second half didn’t begin any better than the first for Concordia, as the Gaiters sank a couple more easy baskets, thanks to a few mistakes by the Stingers. A strong offensive push from James Clark, Evens Laroche and Ruhezamihigo earned the Stingers a couple more baskets. Many fouls were committed by both the teams and the scoreboard started racking up the numbers from all the free throws. It wasn’t quite enough for the Stingers, who finished the third period trailing by 13 points at 62-49.
The fourth period started well when Lazarescu opened with a basket. The defence stepped it up and forced the Gaiters to run the clock. The Stingers managed to get the ball to Clark, who sunk the basket. With back and forward steals driving the play once again, Krah gained possession of the ball and sank another three-pointer, simultaneously taking a hit to the ground. Lazarescu followed with another basket, bringing the score up to 62-57. The Stingers had some healthy competition within the team, as Thompson followed up with another three-pointer. Krah raised him one and sank yet another three-pointer. The score was tight at 66-65. A basket from Lazarescu secured the Stingers lead with only two minutes left on the clock. A foul on the Gaiters allowed them to tie the game at 67. The Gaiters fought back a little too hard, fouling Stingers Laroche and Lazarescu. He netted one, giving the Stingers the final lead with less than thirty seconds on the clock.
After losing 90-82 against McGill this weekend, the men’s basketball team hits the road against Laval on Friday, then returns home to face McGill again next Saturday, Nov. 21.
