Stingers have growing pains against McGill

The visiting McGill Redmen proved why they are the 5th ranked team in the country this Sunday, beating the Concordia Stingers 92-86 in men’s basketball action.
The Concordia Gym was packed as the two rival universities squared off with an almost equal representation in the bleachers.
The Stingers got off to a good start, winning the tip-off and staying neck and neck with the Redmen on the scoreboard over the first half, but McGill’s offence proved to be too much for the young Stinger team.
The Stingers showed some spark in certain plays but couldn’t maintain their momentum.
Concordia was impressive, with veteran and captain, Gavin Musgrave showing his speed on a great full court run, and guard Jonathan Dresner netting a precise three pointer midway through the first half.
The drive was there, but the Stingers found themselves down 38-41 at the halfway mark, biting at the Redmen’s heels.
They couldn’t catch them, and ended up with their sixth loss of a so far lacklustre season.
“We have to find that one thing that will push us over the edge,” Musgrave said. “We don’t know what it is yet, but we’re still searching.”
Stinger Head Coach John Dore believes that the team, comprised of eight first year students, “is slowly starting to gel.
“At the beginning of the season, we were losing by 20 points, and now by 6. We’re starting to come together,” he said.
Concordia came together in the second half, playing a tighter game in which both Musgrave and guard Rastko Popovic played a major role.
They gave a one-two punch in key situations, and provided one of the best set-up shots of the game.
With three minutes left on the clock, Musgrave made a quick pass to Popovic, who then returned it to Musgrave, who netted an easy deuce.
The Redmen’s Denburk Reid was the star of the game, amassing 24 points and nailing a spectacular dunk in the second half that didn’t count because it was after the whistle had blown.
The Stingers’ defence was not prominent in the game, something that has plagued them all season.
McGill however, used their defensive prowess to their advantage, shutting down the Stingers to take the game.
“What I want the guys to do is to each improve on one thing,” coach Dore said of the Stingers performance this season.
“If they each improve on their own then, collectively, they’ll become better,” he added.
Maybe they can get some inspiration from their rivals?
“McGill comes from a good program. They know what it takes to win,” Musgrave, Concordia’s highest point-getter of the game with 20, said. “We still have to figure that out.”
The Stingers head out next Friday to take on Laval, ranked sixth in the country.