The Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team played their season ending game on Saturday afternoon against the McGill Redmen. On this day, it looked like it was going to be a Stingers victory, once again, but a couple turnovers and missed shots in the fourth quarter allowed for McGill to come back and get the 63-56 win.
Both teams missed many shots to start the game. However at the 7:07 of the first quarter, the Redmen scored first on a basket by guard Simon Bibeau. A couple of seconds later, the Stingers got their first basket by point guard Adam Chmielewski. Later in the quarter Redmen’s, guard, Vincent Dufort, and Stingers guard, Jean Andre-Moussignac, each got two field goals in the quarter.
The Stingers would end the quarter scoring 11 straight points to take a 21-14 lead after the first quarter.
The Redmen scored the first basket of the second quarter by guard Dele Ogundokun. The Stingers would score on a basket by centre Brisebois. The Stingers would then add three three pointers to their lead, scored by guards Inti Salinas and Jonathan Mirambeau and forward Mukiya Post.
The Redmen ended the quarter on a 7-0 run which included a three pointer by forward Nathan Joyal. The Stingers led 32-27 going into half time.
The Redmen started the second half with a 5-0 run, led by a three pointer by Ogundokun. The Stingers got their first basket at the 6:05 mark of the quarter scored by forward Zander Jean. The Redmen responded with two straight baskets by forward François Bourque to make only a one point lead for the Stingers.
The Stingers extended their lead late in the quarter with two straight baskets by forward Mike Fosu. Redmen’s guard, Regis Ivaniukas, then hit a three pointer. The Stingers responded with another three-point shot by Salinas. Stingers took a 47-39 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Redmen like the other previous three quarters would score first on a two-pointer by guard Jenning Leung. The Stingers got their first basket by Garner to give the Stingers a 49-42 lead. By 5:52 of the fourth quarter, the Redmen tied the game at 53 with a basket by Leung and then broke the tie with a basket by forward Rodrigo Imperador.
The Stingers would tie it up again with two free throws by Chmielewski.
With 54 seconds left, the Stingers were down two after a basket by Moussigniac. But a perfect 4-4 record on the free throw line by Joyal would seal the deal for the Redmen. The Stingers were outplayed in the fourth quarter as the Redmen scored 24 points while Concordia only had nine points.
“A couple of dumb plays on our part that caused us the game,” said head coach John Dore. “[But] there [has been] a lot of personal development and growth in the group from the season.”
The Stingers end the season with a record of 8-8 and finish in third place in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RESQ). They now head to Quebec City for the RESQ playoffs, where they will be playing the Bishop Gaiters on Saturday afternoon. The Stingers were 0-4 against them this season.
“We have to play smart and control what we are able to do, like limit the turnovers,” Dore said about the game.
Concordia bid farewell to centre Zach Brisebois, guard Jean Andre Moussigniac and forward Taylor Garner who are all graduating this year.
