Author: Dean Bertoia

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Sports

China and the NBA: Lebron enters the fold

In light of the events leading to a frigid disconnect between the NBA and its connections with China, Lebron James was once again the one left to speak up for the players.

James publicly reprimanded the timing of Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey, who on Oct. 4, tweeted “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.” The problem with Morey’s tweet is not that he was supporting freedom for a foreign country under a communist government, but rather that he did so while two teams, the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, were in the thick of that very regime in China; where they were to play two exhibition games.

Ever since James spoke publicly about Morey’s terrible timing, he’s been under fire for being a supporter of censorship. People are saying his comments are financially motivated, as he doesn’t want to lose all the endorsement money that Nike makes him in China. Fox News paints him as “unamerican” in his position against Morey, who is simply speaking freely, and supporting freedom, as Americans do. HURRAH. This is so typical in more ways than one… Leave it to the USA to impose their constitution on countries halfway across the world, and to dumb down the issue at hand, using ideology as an excuse.

Let’s take a step back and look at this in a rational, practical way.

James doesn’t hate free speech – all of his actions say otherwise. The man founded and funded a public elementary school in his home town of Akron, Ohio, and promises free college tuition to every graduate. He is constantly a voice for the disenfranchised, a philanthropist to those in need, and is openly liberal. What James hates is loose-lipped executives sitting in their ivory towers far, far away, who stir the pot while he’s sitting in it. Despite the tweet only existing for several minutes before being deleted, it sparked a controversy in a country with a population of over 1.3 billion people.

The controversy caused outrage, and hostility. Lebron and his team, as well as the Nets, were simply there to play basketball, and grow the game on an international level. All of a sudden, they’re on the front lines of an international conflict and media storm, where they could have potentially been in political, or even physical danger. What if the Chinese government wouldn’t let them leave? What if Chinese loyalists became violent?

Now, thankfully, those things didn’t happen, but they very well could have. Instead, they experienced a different kind of backlash: The wrath of corporate China. The Chinese broadcast of the two games on their network, CCTV, was cancelled. Tickets became hard to come by.  All corporate logos were taken off the hardwood. Community events involving the players were cancelled. Chinese apparel brands suspended their relations with the NBA. The Chinese Basketball Association, run by Rockets legend Yao Ming, severed all ties with the Rockets. Chinese streaming service Tencent banned Houston from their service. The team’s official apparel is no longer available in China. China has basically censored the hell out of the NBA.

Like many NBA superstars, Lebron James has been visiting China in the offseason for over 10 years on behalf of Nike, who carries his signature shoe and apparel lines. Of course it benefits him financially, why shouldn’t it? Would you spend weeks in China doing promotion for free? I didn’t think so. I assure you the league doesn’t mind either, because it popularizes their sport in a massive market.

More important than money, James is the most impactful ambassador for the sport since Michael Jordan made the NBA an international phenomenon. He cares more about the state of the game than he does his bank account, which is doing fine, I promise. The complete destruction of all the inroads the NBA has built into China is more likely what doesn’t sit well with him. All that time spent globalizing the game, and instilling its values in parts of the world that need them, evaporated in a moment’s notice with a seven word tweet.

But wait, here’s the cherry on top: In an attempt to either limit the damage, or save face with China, the NBA has censored the game in their own way. Fans holding up “Free Tokyo” signs in Philadelphia and Washington have had their posters taken from them by stadium officials. Reporters have been silenced in asking questions about the controversy in Houston. Hypocrisy at its best, right? How is James the one being criticized for being an advocate of conciliatory speech, when the league is clearly guilty of that very thing?

This is why sports and politics should never intersect. Sports bring people together, politics have a tendency to be divisive. James wants Morey to let the game speak for itself, and so do I.

 

Graphic by Salomé Blain

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Sports

Stingers drop RSEQ final against Redmen

The Stingers just didn’t have enough firepower to win their first championship since 2012. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

McGill will go into national championship as the #3 seed

Despite fighting their way to their first final since 2012, the Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team wore silver medals after losing to the McGill Redmen by a score of 98-79 in the championship game of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) playoffs on March 3.

The first quarter was neck and neck, with both teams scoring 21 points. Stingers guard Ricardo Monge put on an offensive display to open up the game, going 3/4 from three-point range and scoring 12 points in the opening quarter alone. McGill did not falter in face of his hot hand, though, and managed to keep up, coming out of the quarter tied.

In the second quarter, the Redmen began to impose their will on the game. Not only did Concordia’s scoring dry up, but McGill used picture-perfect passing at the other end to create open shots, which they couldn’t seem to miss. They shot 8/12 from the field en route to outscoring Concordia 23-12 in the second quarter.

The Redmen dominated rebounds and battles in the paint. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Concordia’s man-to-man defence was inadequate, as the Redmen continuously found open passes. Redmen guard Avery Cadogan was the x-factor in building the lead, as he scored 11 points in the second quarter, and hit all three of his three-point shots. McGill was up at the half 44-33.

Concordia came out in the second half hoping to stagnate McGill’s domination close to the basket. They switched their defence from man-to-man to zone coverage.

This proved to be a mistake, as McGill used their passing to find gaps along the three-point line. McGill made 75 per cent of three-point attempts in the third quarter, while Concordia only hit five of their 15 shooting attempts.

By the end of the third, the Stingers were down 73-50. The fourth quarter was more of the same for the Stingers. McGill’s biggest lead came with seven minutes left in the fourth, when they led by 30 points. McGill won the championship in convincing fashion by a score of 98-79.

The story of this game was McGill’s hot shooting and stifling defence. The Redmen’s shooting percentages were extremely impressive, as they went 57 per cent from the field, 54 per cent from three-point range, and 58 per cent at the free-throw line. No matter which defence the Stingers threw at them, the Redmen adapted their offence and continued to score.

Concordia’s lack of offence is what killed them. Their defence was actually not bad, but it was just one of those nights for McGill’s offence, which was simply on fire. Concordia’s only hope at winning the game was outgunning the Redmen on offence, which they were unable to do.

The Stingers will look for their shot at redemption next year, when they hope to challenge for the championship once again. Meanwhile, the Redmen strengthened their position as a national championship contender. They will play in the U Sports national championship as the third-best team in the nation.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins.

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Sports

Stingers advance to first basketball final since 2012

The Stingers will now play in their first RSEQ final in six years on Saturday at McGill. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

Home-court advantage helps Concordia beat Laval Rouge et Or, 72-63

With the help of a raucous home crowd, the Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team kept their championship hopes alive by beating the Laval Rouge et Or in the semi-final of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) playoffs with a score of 72-63 on Feb. 28.

The Stingers won their last three regular season games to finish with a record of 11-5, which was good enough to secure second place in the RSEQ, giving them home-court advantage against the Rouge et Or to open up the playoffs. The Stingers beat Laval just four days earlier in an exciting regular-season final, and it seems this momentum carried over to the playoffs.

“I’m very proud of how we stayed composed, focused, disciplined and executed down the stretch,” said head coach Rastko Popovic after the win. “We got the stops when it mattered.”

The Stingers were dominant in the first half, using fluid passing to find open outside shooters, and protecting the rim from any Laval attacker. With five minutes left in the second quarter, Stingers guard Ricardo Monge hit a three-point shot to put Concordia up 16 points, but by the time the buzzer sounded at half, Laval was only down by eight points. The Stingers led 38-30 after two quarters.

Stingers guard Jonathan Koud scored 10 points in the RSEQ semi-final win against the Laval Rouge et Or. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

The Rouge et Or came out with a ton of energy to open the second half, and their fans who made the trip from Québec City to Concordia were becoming increasingly loud as they continued to chip away at the lead. Laval forward Alexandre Leclerc opened up the fourth quarter with a three-pointer, giving the Rouge et Or their first lead of the game, at 55-54.

Concordia remained calm and weathered the storm. With eight minutes left in the game, Monge came up with a steal and then hit shots on back-to-back possessions to give Concordia a lead again. The Stingers defended well enough in the fourth to allow only 11 points, and they scored 18 points to secure the win.

Monge and guard Jonathan Koud, who were both honoured as second-team RSEQ all-stars in a ceremony prior to the game, were extremely impressive on the court. Monge looked noticeably composed throughout the game, despite the hectic environment and frequent momentum swings.

“I came in ready,” Monge said. “I came prepared to the game to do all I had to do to perform.” The fourth-year player finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists to go along with a steal and a block.

Koud struck fear into the hearts of Laval defenders with his quick drives off the dribble, and was effective at creating chances both inside and outside. He finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

Stingers centre Olivier Simon also played well, as Laval had no answer for him close to the basket in the paint. He displayed a wide variety of post moves and finished with a soft touch, scoring 17 points. Simon had a 70 per cent field goal percentage and made all three of his free throws.

The Stingers will play the top-seeded McGill Redmen on Saturday, March 3 at McGill in the RSEQ final. It’s the first time the Stingers play in the final since 2012, when they won.

Simon stressed that having beaten McGill once this year, his team doesn’t fear their top ranking. “It’s war,” he said. “It’s a playoff game, anything can happen.”

Stingers forward Ken Beaulieu was also presented with an all-star honour. He was named to the first all-star team for the third time in his career. Concordia players Anthony Sanogo and Matthis Guerut both took home all-rookie honours.

Main photo by Kirubel Mehari.

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Sports

The value of versatility

Ken Beaulieu is in his fourth and final season as a member of the Concordia Stingers. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Graduating forward Ken Beaulieu describes himself as an unselfish player

A basketball player capable of performing every aspect of the game, and doing so admirably, is hard to come by. Most players tend to specialize in one or two areas—some are dominating rebounders and defenders, others excel at the three-point shot, and some are gifted at playmaking and setting up teammates.

Rarely does a player come along who can seemingly do it all, and this type of versatility has established Ken Beaulieu, a forward on the Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team, as a star and a leader.

Ken Beaulieu is known for his dunking. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

When asked about his adaptability, Beaulieu came off as a highly coachable and open-minded player. “In my second year, I was scoring more, but this year my coaches want me to focus more on defence and rebounding, so I’ve been working more on that,” said Beaulieu, a fourth-year player.

Beaulieu’s aptitude for all aspects of basketball helped him become one of the most heavily-recruited players coming out of CEGEP in 2014. After being named a first-team all-star in 2014 playing for Cégep Édouard-Montpetit in his hometown of Longueuil, almost every team in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) was after Beaulieu. This forced him to choose between Université de Laval, Bishop’s, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and Concordia.

Beaulieu said his admiration for the coaching style of former coach John Dore, whom he only played under for his first year, influenced his decision to play for the Stingers. Current head coach Rastko Popovic was an assistant under Dore, which helped make Popovic’s transition to head coach in 2015 easy for Beaulieu.

Beaulieu is certainly making it look easy, as his name is all over the RSEQ individual stats leaderboards this season. He ranks seventh in the conference in scoring at 12.5 points per game, third in rebounding with 7.7 per game, sixth in steals with 1.7 per game and seventh in assists with 2.4 per game. He has achieved these numbers while shooting at an impressive 61 field goal percentage. These stats illustrate just how multi-dimensional he is, while also being extremely efficient.

His athleticism permits him to be all over the place on the court.

One of the challenges that comes with being capable in every facet of the game is that, as a player, he doesn’t always get to utilize all his talents.

Ken Beaulieu said he is not a vocal leader, but would rather lead by example. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

“My coaches right now want me to drive the basket a lot more this season, to get layups and post up, so my shot has gotten worse because I don’t practice it as much,” Beaulieu said. “It can be frustrating.”

Beaulieu said his mid-range shot is currently “nowhere to be found” and that he takes considerably fewer three-point shots, which has made his shooting a little rusty. Yet, this does not create tension between Beaulieu and his coaches, as he is happy to do whatever is asked of him.

“I’m not a selfish player. I don’t come in looking to score 30 a night; some nights it’s more about rebounding and defence,” Beaulieu said. He added how much he trusts his teammates, which makes passing a pleasure for him. “If you’re on my team and you’re open, I don’t care who you are, I’m passing the ball.”

Beaulieu said when he misses his first couple of shots, it can ruin his momentum for the whole game and affect him mentally. He was quick to acknowledge this is the biggest hurdle he is working to overcome.

“The mental [aspect] is something I’ve struggled with probably my whole career,” Beaulieu said.

Although he is not very vocal, Beaulieu is aware of his responsibility to lead his team by example. He sees a correlation between his energy and his team’s, which is why he wants to stay positive around the team on and off the court. When asked how he’s attempting to improve his mentality, Beaulieu said he reminds himself of two words he hears from his teammates and coaches all the time: “next play.”

“When you miss a shot, you can’t take it back. All you can do is focus on what’s next,” he said.

Beaulieu hopes what comes next is success in the playoffs, where he said he thinks the Stingers have a good chance of winning the championship. “We’ve beat every other team [in the conference] so far, so we know we can win,” he said.

Recently, Beaulieu was named the Concordia male athlete of the week. His performances against the UQAM Citadins on Feb. 1 and 3 helped the Stingers sweep a two-game series. He had a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in the first game, and was one point shy of another double-double in the second. These impressive stat sheets Beaulieu continues to produce prove why he is the Stingers’s human Swiss army knife, and why they love having him in their back pocket.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins.

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Sports

Stingers drop doubleheader at home against McGill

Concordia Stingers guard Ken Beaulieu dunks against the McGill Redmen on Jan. 11. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

Women lose halftime lead, while men fall short in tight game

The new year has yet to be good to Concordia’s basketball teams, as the Stingers lost both games in their doubleheader at home against McGill on Jan. 11.

Women’s game

The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team lost to the McGill Martlets by a score of 70-55. The game was tight in the first half, going back and forth with not much ground given on either side. Concordia went into halftime leading 34-31.

In the second half, the Martlets erased the deficit and slowly built up their lead. When asked about the most prominent factor in losing this game, head coach Tenicha Gittens was critical of her team’s rebounding effort. “We have to be better on the boards,” she said, adding that they have to “find a body and box out.”

The Martlets won the game by out-hustling the Stingers on rebounds, especially at the offensive end, where they secured 19 offensive rebounds, many of which led to second-chance points. Gittens explained that, when her players don’t secure rebounds, it makes it tough for them to get in transition and use their speed, limiting most of their offensive talent.

Guard Aurelie d’Anjou Drouin led the team in scoring with 10 points coming off the bench, while guards Caroline Task and Sabrina Stambouli each scored nine points.

Forward Marvia Dean shoots a free-throw against the McGill Martlets on Jan. 11. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

Men’s game

The men’s team played the second game of the doubleheader, and again weren’t able to stop McGill, as they lost to the Redmen by a score of 88-81.

The game was back and forth to say the least, with eight lead changes and four ties throughout. The Stingers looked best in the first half when, at one point, they were leading by 13 points. Eventually, McGill began to pressure the Stingers in Concordia’s half of the court, hoping to create turnovers and close the gap. The plan worked. Soon enough, Concordia’s lead was gone, and they were instead playing catch-up.

Guard Ken Beaulieu made a valiant effort to help the Stingers complete a comeback, leading the team with 24 points—14 coming in the fourth quarter alone—and adding seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block.

The Redmen were proficient in the paint, scoring 52 points within close range, compared to 38 from the Stingers. The abundance of high percentage shots and a couple of timely threes by guard Dele Ogundokun of the Redmen in the fourth were enough to put the nail in Concordia’s proverbial coffin.

Both Concordia Stingers basketball teams will get their shot at redemption against McGill. They play a doubleheader at McGill on Jan. 13, with the women playing at 4 p.m. and the men at 6 p.m.

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Sports

Making her debut a year late

Ashley Moss started playing basketball when her family moved to a new neighbourhood in Nassau, Bahamas. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

Ashley Moss was injured in her first game as a Stinger, but returned this season

Ashley Moss joined the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team before the 2016-17 season with high expectations for herself and her team. As a transfer from the Holland Hurricanes of Charlottetown, P.E.I., she came to Concordia with one goal in mind—to help put a championship banner in the rafters of the Stingers’s home court.

Before she could help her team to the top, Moss had a hill of her own to climb. In her very first game with the Stingers in October 2016, Moss went down with what was later discovered to be a serious injury. Tests revealed she had torn her left Achilles tendon as well as her meniscus. These injuries kept her sidelined for the rest of her first season, and marked the beginning of a tedious, year-long rehabilitation process.

While this devastating injury presented Moss with a tough road to recovery, she is not a stranger to long and winding roads. Moss was born and raised in Nassau, Bahamas. When she was in 12th grade, her family moved to a different part of the city, which is where basketball first caught her eye. According to Moss, basketball started not so much as a passion, but as a necessity.

“There was a court on the side of my house. I was in a new neighbourhood, and the only thing to do was to go watch the boys play basketball,” she said. Eventually, Moss got tired of watching. She began participating in the street games and competing against full-grown men at the age of 18. From here, both her love and skill for the game developed.

Standing at 5-10, Moss is a lengthy, athletic forward. Her size gives her a particular type of defensive prowess which is cherished by coaches, and is what ended up earning her a spot on the Bahamas national women’s basketball team. She played on the national team for three years. In 2015, her last season with the team, she helped lead the Bahamas to a gold medal at the International Basketball Federation Caribbean Basketball Confederation (FIBA CBC) championship.

Moss injured her Achilles tendon in her first game last season, and missed the entire year. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

She wanted to see how much further basketball could take her, and decided to leave the tropical heat of the Caribbean for the bitter cold of Canada to keep playing. Moss began her collegiate career at Holland College in 2013-14. In her three seasons at Holland College, she won back-to-back Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) championships in 2015 and 2016, and helped the team compete in their first two national championship tournaments.

From the Bahamas to P.E.I., Moss made a tough transition but maintained a winning pedigree. Moss said her move was tough because she had never been away from her family, nor had she seen the school. This is exactly what she was preparing to do again, when she moved from Charlottetown to Montreal, where she felt she had the best chance to keep winning. Moss said Stingers head coach Tenicha Gittens influenced her to make the switch to Concordia.

Gittens helped ease the transition for Moss by bringing in fellow Holland College recruits, Marvia Dean and Jazlin Barker, for the 2016-17 season.

“[Gittens] was on the same page as us,” Moss said. “She wanted to win a championship, and I feel like we can do it with her.”

Unfortunately for Moss, she was not able to join her former Hurricanes teammates on the court in her first season as a Stinger.

When asked to describe her journey back from last year’s season-ending injury, Moss did not lie about how hard it was. “My rehab was really rough, but what was even harder than the rehab was watching my teammates play,” she said. “The wins were good, but when they lost and struggled, I really felt the struggle.” According to Moss, she had to learn to walk again, and at times, was limited to shooting shots while sitting down in a chair with her leg up in a boot, as her teammates practiced.

As of today, Moss is healthy and off to a strong start this year. She won Most Valuable Player of the Concordia Classic Tournament in October, which her team won, and was named athlete of the week twice in the preseason. On Nov. 9, she played her first regular season game at home in front of a noisy crowd, which she had been itching to do.

“Do you know how long I’ve waited to play in this gym? I’ve been waiting forever to play in front of this crowd,” Moss said enthusiastically.

Her pent up energy was on full display in the home opener, where she had game-highs in both rebounds, with 12, and blocks, with five.

The word resilient describes Moss’s journey, her character and her style of play. She never lets a bad break, a tough challenge or a daunting task keep her down. She consistently bulldozes her way through the obstacles in front of her, and in doing so, wins, both in life and in basketball.

Main photo by Kirubel Mehari.

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Sports

Stingers basketball teams dominate Gaiters in home opener

Stingers forward Ken Beaulieu dunks the ball in front of a mural of himself. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

Aurélie d’Anjou Drouin, Ricardo Monge finish as leading scorers in their games

The Concordia Stingers men’s and women’s basketball teams opened up the regular season at home on Nov. 9, and both came away with wins against the Bishop’s Gaiters. The women won 82-59, and the men won 88-71.

Women’s basketball

The women’s team set the tone for a winning season this year. It was a tight first quarter, ending with the Stingers up 19-18, but that was the last time the score was close. Guards Caroline Task and Aurélie d’Anjou Drouin got off to very hot starts, both scoring early and often. Task finished the game with 26 points, and d’Anjou Drouin scored 30 points.

On the other end of the court, the team’s defence was ferocious, forcing the Gaiters into a total of 20 turnovers. Forward Ashley Moss led the way on the defensive end, finishing the game with 12 rebounds and four blocked shots.

By the end of the first half, the Stingers were up 45-40. Task and d’Anjou Drouin continued their strong performances in the third quarter, and were able to stretch the lead to as much as 36 points. The Stingers ended up beating the Gaiters by a score of 82-59.

Guard Caroline Task looks for an in-bound pass in the Stingers home-opener on Nov. 9. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

It felt good to come out with a bang,” said Task after the game. “We trained all summer, and it’s good to see hard work pay off.” When asked about her individual performance, she kept it simple: “My shot was dropping, and I had a lot of energy.”

In addition to her 26 points, Task had two rebounds, three assists and four steals. Along with d’Anjou Drouin, Jazlin Barker was the third guard to hit double digits with 13 points. It was an all-around dominant performance for the women’s team, one they can build on moving forward.

 

Men’s basketball

The first half of the men’s game was a dogfight, with the Stingers and Gaiters matching each other on every possession. It was a gritty, low-scoring half which ended tied at 33.

In the second half, the Stingers really kicked into gear. Midway through the third quarter, they began putting tremendous pressure on the Gaiters, creating steals and defending their basket to generate blocks. Six of Bishop’s 15 turnovers came in the third quarter alone.

The Stingers defensive pressure led to the play of the game, when Concordia forward Ken Beaulieu soared to catch an alley-oop pass from guard Nicholas Noble, and threw it down for a reckless slam dunk. This put the Stingers up by 12, and seemed to kill whatever drive the Gaiters had left.
The dynamic defensive play by the Stingers guards is what sparked their offence. Guard Ricardo Monge played a very efficient game offensively, as he went 3/4 in three-point shooting, and finished with a team-leading 23 points. Guard Jonathan Koud scored 19 points coming off the bench, and was a nightmare for Gaiters defenders, using his speed to attack the rim. Stingers forward Olivier Simon and Noble each scored 10 points.
The Stingers men’s and women’s teams will be going on the road to take on the Laval Rouge et Or on Nov. 12.

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Sports

Previewing the 2017-18 NBA season

Western Conference teams got stronger this off-season with multiple acquisitions

Fans of the National Basketball Association (NBA) can rejoice as the wait for 2017-18 season ends on Oct. 17, with the Boston Celtics traveling to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers. This past off-season was full of league-altering moves, as seven of last season’s All-Stars ended up with new teams. This has hoop fans drooling to see how these new-look rosters will click, and if any teams are good enough to topple the reigning champion Golden State Warriors. Here are three interesting stories to keep an eye on throughout the upcoming season.

Western dominance

Most of the big-time off-season moves saw big-name talent move from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference. Three perennial playoff teams in the Eastern Conference—the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks—chose to move their former franchise players to the Western Conference in favour of rebuilding with younger players. Chicago traded shooting guard Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana moved forward Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and forward Paul Millsap was traded from Atlanta to the Denver Nuggets.

The West was already widely considered the more talented conference of the two, winning three of the last four NBA champions. This influx of talent has created multiple contenders to be Western Conference champions, such as the Timberwolves and Thunder.

The Warriors, who didn’t lose a single playoff game in the Western Conference before last year’s final, will undoubtedly have a harder hill to climb in trying to be champions again this year.

The year of the rookie

This year’s draft class is being hailed as the best since the famous 2003 NBA Draft, which saw the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony enter the league.

Now, multiple teams are counting on rookies to make an immediate impact. The Philadelphia 76ers drafted point guard Markelle Fultz with the first pick, and hope his addition to their collection of top prospects will help end their five-year playoff drought. The Los Angeles Lakers used the second pick on polarizing prospect Lonzo Ball. They hope the point guard’s court vision and passing ability can kickstart a new generation of stars in Los Angeles. Ninth pick Dennis Smith Jr. is the dark horse to win Rookie of the Year honours, as he is an athletic, scoring point guard who will play plenty of minutes for the Dallas Mavericks.

Pending free agents (LeBron James)

At the end of this season, James has an option on his contract that allows him to stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers or become a free agent. His big decision is inevitable, as he is likely to opt-out in search of more money, and maybe even a new team. Whether he acknowledges it or not, the success of his team this season will play a heavy role in his decision.

A number of All-Stars, such as Cleveland’s Isaiah Thomas, Houston Rockets’ Chris Paul and the New Orleans Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins, also have expiring contracts this year. If those teams are not successful this season, look for them to trade these players late in the season for prospects or draft picks, in case they plan to leave in the off-season.

Graphic by Ze Ze Lin.

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Sports

Stingers basketball teams successful in Concordia Classic tournament

Guard Caroline Task drives towards the basket in a game against the UPEI Panthers on Oct. 6. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Women’s team wins tournament with 3-0 record, while men’s team finishes second with 2-1 record

The Concordia Classic Basketball Tournament, which ran from Oct. 6 to Oct. 8, was a success for the Concordia Stingers. The Stingers host the pre-season tournament every year, and this year, six schools sent teams to play in the men’s and women’s tournaments. The Stingers women’s team won the tournament with a 3-0 record, while the men’s team finished in second place with a 2-1 record.

Women’s Team
Forward Ashley Moss, who missed the entire season last year with a knee injury, was named MVP of the tournament. She averaged nine points and 11 rebounds per game, with a field goal percentage of 59 per cent.

Guards Caroline Task and Jazlin Barker were named tournament All-Stars. Task led the team in scoring throughout the tournament, averaging 14.7 points per game. Barker had a dominating performance in their final game against Toronto, stuffing the stat sheet with 21 points, seven assists, three rebounds and five steals.

The tournament opener for the women was against the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) Panthers. This game had a quick start with the Stingers outscoring the Panthers 30-25. From there, Concordia did not let go of the lead and won with a final score of 60-53.

Rookie forward Coralie Dumont looks for a pass against the UPEI Panthers on Oct. 6. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

The Stingers’ second game was against the Algoma Thunderbirds, which they won in dominant fashion, 80-38. After the first quarter, the Stingers led 18-3, and by the end of the third quarter they were up by 23. They played well the entire game but especially in the fourth quarter. Everything seemed to be working for them offensively in transition, and their hustle was clear. The Stingers dove for loose balls, caused jump balls and forced turnovers with stout defence. It was a coming-out party for rookie guard Coralie Dumont, as she had 18 points and 13 rebounds.

The final game of the tournament was against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. Barker stole the show with her 21 points and secured the tournament win. Moss was also instrumental in this win, as she had 10 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, four steals and two blocks. Thanks to these strong performances, the Stingers won the game, 73-64.

Men’s Team

The Stingers opened the tournament against the Regina Rams with a convincing 92-74 victory. Concordia’s offence was extremely well balanced, as five players had more than 10 points each. Point guard Ricardo Monge had 16 points and seven assists. Six-foot-seven forward Olivier Simon also had a strong showing, putting up 15 points, grabbing seven rebounds and adding two blocks.
Their second game came against a very strong opponent, Halifax’s Dalhousie Tigers, who finished last season with a record of 16-4. After the first quarter, the game was tied at 16. In the second quarter, the Stingers were able to grab a seven-point lead, but an aggressive half-court press by Dalhousie trimmed that lead to two by halftime.

The second half was a back-and-forth affair, with the lead changing hands on several occasions. Concordia was in the lead for most of the game, but Dalhousie continued to turn to the half-court press to apply pressure and force turnovers. Then, down by two points with 18 seconds left in the game, Dalhousie’s Alex Carson hit a dagger three-point shot to put them up by one. Concordia had time for one more shot but unfortunately missed. They lost a hard fought battle, 72-70.
The third and final game of the tournament for the men’s team came against the York Lions. The Stingers won the game, 85-80. The win was due in no small part to the hot start Concordia got off to, outscoring York 27-14 in the first quarter.

Forward Olivier Simon shoots a free throw against the Regina Rams on Oct. 6. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

The Stingers were actually outscored in each of the following three quarters by a total of eight points. However, York’s comeback was clearly not enough to erase the 13-point deficit created in the first quarter. The Stingers offence was incredibly well balanced again, with five players scoring in the double digits. Guard Jonathan Koud led his team with 16 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Two Stingers were named tournament All-Stars: Koud and forward/guard Ken Beaulieu. Koud led the team in scoring, averaging 15.7 points per game. Beaulieu was an outstanding sixth man, averaging an even 15 points per game coming off the bench. He provided huge boosts for his team throughout the tournament.

The women’s team plays various pre-season games for the rest of October before starting their season Nov. 9 in a home game against the Bishop’s Gaiters. The men’s team plays in a pre-season tournament at Queen’s University from Oct. 13 to 15, before starting their season Nov. 9 at home against the Bishop’s Gaiters.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins.

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Sports

Experience, chemistry will lead women’s team

Head coach Tenicha Gittens wants to lead the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team back to the RSEQ final. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Head coach Tenicha Gittens looks to build off surprise playoff run to RSEQ final last year

“Nothing beats experience.” That’s what the head coach of the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team, Tenicha Gittens, said she believes. She is counting on experience and chemistry to lead her team to a successful 2017-18 season.

With two seasons worth of experience as a head coach, and a team with many returning players, Gittens is looking to build upon last year’s incredible season. Despite finishing in fourth place in a five-team division with a 7-9 record during the regular season, the Stingers were able to make it all the way to the final of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) last season. They upset first-placed Laval Rouge et Or in the semi-final before losing to the McGill Martlets in the final.

Throughout this year’s training camp, Gittens has noticed the team is more comfortable with her systems, both on offence and defence, which gives her confidence in the team’s ability to implement them in games. According to Gittens, players are now familiar enough with these schemes that she doesn’t need to keep teaching them every practice. Instead, she can focus on other aspects of training. This kind of familiarity with Gittens’ strategies gave players a head start coming into training camp, and made it easier for new players to adjust to the team.

Latifah Roach looks for an open teammate against the McGill Martlets during the 2016-17 season. Archive photo by Ana Hernandez.

Familiar faces are not the only advantage this team has going into the 2017-18 season. There are also some recent additions which should help bolster the lineup. Ashley Moss, who missed the entire regular season and playoffs last year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), is now healthy and ready to contribute. At 5-11, she brings athleticism and versatility to the team, being that she can slot in at either guard or forward.

Coralie Dumont is another exciting new addition. She is a lengthy 6-1 guard who, according to Gittens, can stretch the floor with her three-point shooting. She averaged double digits in both points and rebounds in her three years playing for the Champlain St-Lambert Cavaliers in CEGEP. On paper, both players should help improve the team’s offensive rebounding, which finished dead last in the division last season at 30.4 rebounds per game.

Gittens used the Concordia Classic Tournament, which ran from Oct. 6 through 8, to test out her new players and get her team ready for the regular season. She said it provided the most authentic form of preparation for the regular season: “We just [needed] that tip-off, more in-game experience.”

The tournament also allowed Gittens to evaluate all the strengths and weaknesses of her team. One principle she sought to improve on going into the tournament was ball movement—the team was middle of the pack in assists per game last year with 12, and near the bottom of the division in overall field goal percentage at 35.2 per cent. Good ball movement would help secure more open shot attempts to increase their field goal percentage.

While there is always room for improvement, Gittens is confident in the group of players she has in front of her. According to the head coach, the speed and athleticism of her players enable them to form a solid team identity. They are a hounding defensive unit, as shown by their league-leading 10.1 steals per game last season. On offence, Gittens added, they are a speedy transition team with solid shooting.

The Stingers play pre-season games for the rest of October. They will tip off their regular season at home on Nov. 9 against the Bishop’s Gaiters.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins

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