Author: Jeffrey Muntu

Born and raise in Montreal/Laval.

Just a big couch potato sport geek !!!

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Reflecting on the women’s basketball season

The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team went to the RSEQ finals this year. Photo by Ana Hernandez.

Head coach Tenicha Gittens talks about her team’s tenacity this year

Even though the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team suffered a crushing loss against the McGill Martlets in the finals of the conference championships this season, the team is on the rise.

After finishing with a 7-9 record during the regular season, the Stingers upset the third-ranked team in the country—the Laval Rouge et Or—in the semi-finals of the playoffs.

Just to compare, the Stingers were ousted in their first playoff game last season. The team improved on offence and defence this season, but the team was plagued by injuries to key players throughout the season.

“Considering everything that we’ve been through, these girls continued to fight and believe in each other,” Stingers head coach Tenicha Gittens said. “They never gave up. With all of that, I am definitely pleased with what we’ve been able to accomplish.”

Rookie Ashley Moss went down with an achilles tendon injury at the beginning of the year, and then rookie Marvia Dean went down with a torn ACL.

Veteran Aurelie d’Anjou Drouin also missed significant time due to a high ankle sprain, while guard Jazlin Barker played a few games with a fractured thumb.

This was truly a banged up squad towards the end of the season, and one might question what they could have been had the team not suffered all those injuries.

Nonetheless, the program has seen a few players emerge who are going to contribute in a big way next season. Barker is one of those young players who progressed as the season went on.

“I’m happy with the way she played for us, down the stretch,” Gittens said.

Gittens added that Barker’s play got better as the season went on, since she was adjusting to the pace of U SPORTS basketball at the start of the season.

One of the major contributors this year was rookie guard Caroline Task. She was honoured by U SPORTS with a place on the all-rookie team after averaging 9.1 points per game and finishing fifth in the conference with 1.7 steals per game.

Gittens praised Task, saying that she and Barker add versatility to the team.

With the addition of Dean and Moss, the team has a solid foundation going forward. This is good news for a team that is losing veterans Marilyse Roy-Viau and Richelle Grégoire next season.

“[Roy-Viau and Grégoire have] been tremendous for Concordia,” Gittens said. “I have had the pleasure of coaching them for two years.”

Gittens said the focus is now on recruiting a new class of players who will fit in with the group already in place. The team will take a break, but soon enough, will be back in the gym to prepare for the upcoming season.

Gittens is looking for players who “are not afraid of a challenge,”  “want to be pushed” and “want to be coached.”

With the team about to embark on an intensive offseason, just as key players return from injuries, Gittens concluded that the team is going to be “alright” moving forward.

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Stingers fall short in RSEQ final

The Stingers are now done for the season.

Concordia’s women’s basketball team couldn’t beat the pesky Martlets squad

After upsetting the third-ranked team in the country—the Laval Rouge et Or—in the semi-finals, the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team was defeated in the conference championship by the McGill Martlets, 63-51. The Martlets were crowned champions for the sixth season in a row.

When asked whether or not the hard-fought game against Laval affected the Stingers’ energy, head coach Tenicha Gittens gave an emphatic “no.”

“We had a day in between [each game],” Gittens said, adding the team had no reason to be fatigued going into the championship game.

The Martlets were simply the more efficient and more composed team, lead by their star player, centre Alex Kiss-Rusk.

“[My shots] started going in,” Kiss-Rusk said. “We didn’t really change much in the second half. They started falling for me. I kept taking ‘em.”

Kiss-Rusk made her mark on the game, especially in the final quarter when the championship was on the line. With about two minutes left in the fourth quarter, she made a shot just as the Stingers were closing in on the Martlets. The basket gave her team a six-point lead.

However, the game would not have been so close for so long, if it weren’t for the efforts of Concordia’s star player, Richelle Grégoire.

The Stingers were able to make it close, but were outplayed at the end of the game. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

In her last collegiate game, she was the only Stinger to score from the field in the first half. She shot a respectable six for 11 and picked up 16 points. The rest of her teammates went ice cold as they failed to get a basket on 17 attempts from the field.

Gregoire praised her teammates and coach Gittens for being a part of “the most fun” team she played with during her five-year stint at Concordia.

It was also the final game for Stingers guard Marilyse Roy-Viau, who has been a big leader for the team, providing them with the knowledge she’s picked up over her five seasons. She shared the same sentiments as her veteran teammate.

“This team right there is one of the best teams I have ever had,” Roy-Viau said. “The coaching staff is also the best I have ever had.”

Commonly referred to as “Ric” (Gregoire) and “Red” (Roy-Viau), the duo have left a lasting impression on the team.

Despite the loss, Roy-Viau knows the Stingers will be good for years to come.

“They are going to compete next year,” Roy-Viau said. “Whatever they have right now is the core, and they are just going to build on that and be in the finals again.”

One surprise from this season was the emergence of Stingers guard Jazlin Barker, who took on a bigger role and increased her production as the season went on. She vowed to keep it up next season.

“I am going to come out stronger from the start. I will train harder,” Barker said.

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Stingers fail to reach RSEQ finals

The Stingers were bad on defence which cost them the game. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

Concordia’s men’s basketball team had their season ended by the Citadins on Friday

Christian Kadima, a forward for the Université de Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Citadins, made a layup and was fouled, giving his team a comfortable seven point lead with a minute and a half remaining in the game. The play, which was made during the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec men’s basketball semi-final, showcased the type of night the Concordia Stingers had. The team failed to make big stops on defence and lost 81-71.

All game long, the Stingers couldn’t convert on their free throws and failed to scoop up loose balls. This allowed to Citadins to score more points.

The Stingers wasted opportunities all night, shooting an abysmal 44 per cent of their shots from the free throw line. They also let the Citadins out-rebound them on the offensive board, which lead to 21 second-chance points by the Citadins.

“You cannot win with those two statistics,” Stingers head coach Rastko Popovic said. “The fact that it was still a close playoff game is beyond me.”

The Citadins looked hungrier on the court and outworked the Stingers all night. The Stingers were able to shoot well outside of the free throw line, but couldn’t stop their rivals from getting extra possessions.

“We really wanted to limit Concordia in transition,” Citadins head coach Nate Philippe said. “We wanted to win the battle of the glass, so I think we did a good job .”

Philippe also said the team’s 20 offensive rebounds were “huge.”

The team is now done for the season.

The game started out pretty well for the Stingers, who went on a 6-0 run to start the game. UQAM came right back with eight points of their own, maintaining their lead throughout the quarter. The Citadins were leading 18-14 after the first quarter.

The deficit grew larger midway through the second quarter, when Citadins forward Misi Jeanneau shot a three-pointer. This gave the team their first double-digit lead at 33-23. The Stingers tightened their defense afterwards, and held the Citadins scoreless for about three full minutes. That allowed them to come back, and go into halftime down by four at 35-31.

The second half picked up in intensity, as both teams were more aggressive. The second half saw four lead changes, and both teams going hard for the win.

Stingers guard Ken Beaulieu gave Concordia a 38-37 lead at the beginning of the third quarter. Then Stingers point guard Ricardo Monge followed suit, converting a three-pointer to increase the lead. Going into the fourth quarter, the Stingers lead 52-50.

The fourth quarter kept the same pace until the Citadins started to pull away thanks to some three-pointers. The Stingers kept it close until late in the game when the Citadins jumped out to a seven-point lead.

“We started out well,” Stingers forward Michael Fosu said. “They bounced back in the game because I think we felt too comfortable.”

The loss marks the end of the Concordia men’s basketball season.

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Leading the team is his last year

In his last year, Fosu has been regarded as a leader on the team.

Stingers forward Michael Fosu talks about being a fifth-year player on the basketball squad

Concordia Stingers men’s basketball forward Michael Fosu is now competing in his fifth year with the team. But before that, he played one year with the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds.

Fosu, who played basketball in CEGEP for Vanier College, initially chose to go to New Brunswick to play with one of his teammates from Vanier. However, just a year in, he decided to come to Concordia.

“It’s a great school, don’t get me wrong,” Fosu said. “People are nice over there, but [for me] it was about winning. I wanted to make the playoffs. That’s what we’ve been able to do here.”

The fifth-year Stinger also went to Lucien Page, a French high school here in Montreal. With a strong knowledge of French, Fosu found himself in Concordia’s French Studies program, from which he is set to graduate from this year. However, he said his field of study had no bearing on his decision to come to Concordia. His decision was purely from a competitive standpoint.

Having been with the Stingers for four years, Fosu has seen many players come and go. He recalled Zach Brisebois and Taylor Garner, among others, as being his favourite teammates to play with.

osu played a year of university basketball in New Brunswick before coming to the Stingers. Photos by Brianna Thicke.

“My first year here is the only year where I can say that I played with veteran guys who know the game of basketball,” Fosu said.

He also explained he had a great relationship with the team’s head coach at the time, John Dore.

“He was more like a father figure to me,” Fosu said.

Fosu also explained the community within the basketball program was one of the major reasons he knew Concordia was the right team for him, describing the overall atmosphere as one of a “family.” As soon as he set foot on campus, he said it was easy for him to joke around with his older teammates—which is something he tries to do now with the younger guys on the team.

“Of course they are rookies,” Fosu said. “But at the same time, we let them know that they are a part of the family. “

That same team spirit is the reason why the transition between Dore and current head coach Rastko Popovic has been so effortless. Popovic was an assistant coach with the women’s and men’s teams before being promoted to head coach of the men’s team. Having known the guys on the team for a while, Popovic looked to Fosu to provide leadership for the team.

“I am a man of few words,” Fosu said. “I am a guy who leads by example.”

Fosu also noted that, during his collegiate career, a few players have come in and out of the program without ever being able to sustain the level of play that’s demanded. This is a reality that has drastically changed over the course of the last year or so.

“The new guys coming in are so mature for their age,” Fosu said. “I can’t wait to see what they’ll do in the future.”

When talking about the new Stingers players, Fosu referenced Olivier Simon and Roman Power as guys who have already shown promise in their first year.

For Fosu and the team, the goal is to win a championship—just like every year. However, optimism is high due to the current crop of young players who will help solidify the Stingers as serious competitors—not just this year, but for the years to come. Fosu is excited to be a part of that process despite that this is his last year.

Fosu’s experience has made him a major contributor to his team, having started eight games out of nine this season and averaging 8.7 points per game. He also plays 22 minutes per game, which ranks him fourth amongst his teammates—a testament to the depth Popovic has been able to assemble.

Fosu also believes this year’s team is the one most likely to contend for a title in years.

“This is the most talented team we’ve had since I got here,” Fosu said. “We’ve always been one step away from really winning it all, but this year, hopefully with the young guys, we can get to the championship.”

There is no doubt in his mind the program is in good hands.

“If I have an opportunity to be an assistant coach, I will take it,” Fosu said. “I want to stay involved in the game.”

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Stingers split against Rouge et Or

The team played solid defence in the win.

Concordia’s women’s basketball team lost to Laval while the men won

The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team lost to the Université de Laval Rouge et Or on Thursday night by a score of 83-77 in overtime. Meanwhile, the men’s team took home a victory against the Rouge et Or, this time by a score of 68-54.

Women’s Basketball

The Stingers had a chance to defeat the number-one-ranked team in the country in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter but failed to get any quality shots. Both teams went scoreless for a full two minutes before heading into overtime, where the Rouge et Or defeated the Stingers 83-77.

The game was the first time the Stingers went into overtime this season. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

On Thursday night, there were six lead changes in the fourth quarter and the overtime quarter was close, until Laval jumped out to a 74-68 lead that Concordia just wasn’t able to come back from.

The game did not start well for the Stingers as the Rouge et Or dominated in terms of rebounds, and jumped out to a 19-12 lead in the first quarter. Then, in the second quarter, the Rouge et Or got more quality shooting from their players, which gave them a 40-30 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Stingers mounted a comeback thanks to some Rouge et Or turnovers. At one point, Laval committed five of their 21 turnovers, which lead to easy baskets for the Stingers. However, the Stingers only managed to score 28 points off of the 21 turnovers.

“It doesn’t even matter what the score is. We gotta execute at all times,” said Stingers head coach Tenicha Gittens. “When we do, we always get good looks. It’s just a matter of knocking those shots and making those layups.”

Despite the loss, the Stingers had every opportunity to score, yet the team only made 31.9 per cent of their shots. Meanwhile, the Rouge et Or were able to rely on their shooters to make big plays.

With the score 57-56 for the Rouge et Or entering the fourth quarter, everything seemed to indicate that it was going to come down to the final shot—and it did. With just under three minutes to go, Stingers guard Marilyse Roy-Viau made two of her game-high eight free throws to tie the game at 66.

The Stingers had four players with double-digit points but no one was more important than Roy-Viau, who was involved in every aspect of the game.

For Gittens, there were plenty of positives to take away from the game against Laval.

“We just got to build on that [game], take from that and not lay down.” Gittens said. “It’s going to be hard as hell next time. Laval thinks that the game was way too close so they’re going to come and knock our heads off.”

Men’s Basketball

The Stingers led the entire game en route to a 68-54 win. Most notably, Stingers forward Schneiders Suffrard had his biggest game of the season, scoring 21 points.

The first quarter displayed tough and gritty play from the Stingers, which gave them a 12-9 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, both teams picked up the pace. Despite having the lead at halftime, Stingers head coach Rastko Popovic felt the team could have played better.

“In the first half, the reason why it was a two-point game is because we didn’t score enough points,” Popovic said. “If we score 44, 22 in each quarter, I tell our guys if we can score like that and get to 80 points, nobody is beating us the way we defend.”

The Stingers responded well coming into the third quarter and raised their level of aggression. The quarter started with an acrobatic layup by Stingers guard Ken Beaulieu, then a three-pointer by Suffrard on the ensuing possession. Later in the quarter, Beaulieu made some impressive dunks and gave the Stingers a 45-35 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Laval tried to claw their way back into the game but were stymied by the Stingers’ defence.

With four minutes left in the game, Beaulieu put the game away for the Stingers with a slam dunk that increased their lead 58-48. Beaulieu finished the game with a double-double.

“That’s two double-doubles in a row. He’s finally starting to peek and play,” Popovic said. “When he gets those dunks and when he’s playing in passing lanes and rebounding like that, he just changes our team. He was first team all-star last year. He’s our best player. He does so many good things out here.”

Both the men’s and women’s teams will play the Rouge et Or on Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Quebec City.

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Stingers blowout Gaiters in Thursday’s doubleheader

The men’s team played great defence in the win.

Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams were impressive against Bishop’s

The Concordia Stingers women’s and men’s basketball teams were victorious on Thursday night. Both teams took on the Bishop’s Gaiters, with the women’s team winning 57-42 and the men winning 76-55.

Women’s Basketball

On a night when the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team struggled to find an offensive groove, they were able to prevail with a strong defensive effort.

The women’s team bounced back after a big loss to McGill. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

“We picked it up on defense. That’s one thing that we emphasized at half-time. We weren’t doing well defensively [up to that point],” said Stingers head coach Tenicha Gittens. “I thought we were forcing them to take bad shots but then we allowed them to get to the glass. They were very aggressive in that first quarter, but we definitely have to clean that up.”

The Stingers came out sloppy, committing 18 turnovers and attempting bad shots throughout the game. However, it started pretty well for the Stingers as they went on a 9-2 run in the first three minutes of the game. The Stingers only managed to make one field goal for the remainder of the quarter and were only up 11-9 by the end of the quarter.

The second quarter was more productive and saw the Stingers outscore Bishop’s by 21-14. Stingers guard Jazlin Barker scored seven of the team’s  last nine points of the quarter. The Stingers were up 32-23 at halftime.

The Stingers were finally able to pull away from the Gaiters in the third quarter when Stingers guard Richelle Grégoire took matters into her own hands and scored 13 of her game-high 15 points. It is an effort she attributes to the hard work of her teammates.

“My teammates try to help me when I am struggling, and they tell me to keep my head up and eventually it’s going to drop,” Grégoire said.

With six minutes left in the game, Grégoire buried one of her two three-pointers, which gave the Stingers their biggest lead up to that point. The Stingers never looked back, cruising to a 57-42 win.

Despite the 15-point win, Gittens felt there was room for improvement from her team.

“As a player, as an athlete, you should be up to play,” Gittens said. “It doesn’t matter who is in front you.”

Men’s Basketball

Thanks to the strong play of Stingers guards Ken Beaulieu and Adrian Armstrong, as well as forward Michael Fosu, the men’s team was able to cruise to a 76-55 blowout win against Bishop’s.

The first quarter starred a red-hot performance from Armstrong. With the score 12-10 in the Stingers’ favour, the second-year guard from London, Ont. scored 14 consecutive points for his team to end the first quarter.

Armstrong did most of his damage from behind the three-point line. The whole gym erupted in response to his spectacular play. Armstrong, who came off the bench in the first quarter, finished the game with 17 points.

Stingers head coach Rastko Popovic was impressed with his bench’s play in the game.

“It’s good when you can get in different guys,” Popovic said. “That was the whole point this year. Having a good recruiting class. Having depth to come in and play.”

The Stingers started the second quarter the same way they ended the first. With six minutes left in the half, Fosu scored a nice basket after some great passing plays by Stingers forward Schneiders Suffrard and Beaulieu. Fosu’s basket put the Stingers up 30-19. Soon after, with just under three minutes to go, Beaulieu finished off a nice effort by grabbing his own rebound and scoring. The Stingers took a 17-point lead into halftime, with the score at 40-23.

The Gaiters never managed to be a threat to the Stingers in the second half. With seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, Stingers guard Nicholas Noble made a three-point shot after some nice ball movement that buried any chance of a comeback from the Gaiters. The three-pointer put the Stingers up 63-46.

“Definitely this week we did focus on playing a little bit faster,” Popovic said. “I thought our starters did a better job [in that aspect], and I think we need our bench to come in with energy and push the ball more.”

Both Stingers teams will take on the Bishop’s Gaiters again on Jan. 28 in Sherbrooke.

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Stingers defeat number-one-ranked Martlets

The Stingers were down 1-0 going into the third period but still won the game. Photos by Alex Hutchins.

Concordia’s women’s hockey team won the last game of the Shoot for the Cure weekend

The Concordia Stingers scored three unanswered goals in the third period on Saturday, in order to win 3-1 against the first place McGill Martlets in the last Shoot for the Cure game.

The Stingers mounted their comeback early in the third period when Stingers forward Stéphanie Lalancette scored to tie the game 1-1 on what was seemingly a goal that Martlets goaltender Rachelle Champion would have liked back. Lalancette’s shot barely left the ice but managed to squeak past Champion, underneath her right pad.

Champion came into the game to replace starting goaltender Tricia Deguire who went out with what appeared to be a head injury. The injury occurred on a collision with Stingers forward Claudia Dubois midway through the first period.

“I am curious to look back at the video to see exactly what happened,” Dubois said. “We don’t really understand if her head may have hit the ice or anything.”

Despite Deguire leaving the game, the Stingers don’t believe it was the goalie change that allowed them to win. For head coach Julie Chu, it has to do with the team sticking to their game plan.

“The reason why we were in such a good position is because we were playing our game,” Chu said. “That’s what made us successful.”

The Stingers have improved their record to 6-7-1.

The Stingers started off strong and, even when they were down by a goal, they kept playing a fast-paced game. They took their first lead of the game with 10 minutes remaining in third period. The goal was scored by Stingers forward Sophie Gagnon.

Stingers goaltender Katherine Purchase took care of the rest and made multiple saves down the stretch, including one with 26 seconds left in the game.

Stingers forward Keriann Schofield scored the empty-netter in the dying seconds to secure the 3-1 win.

“They are a pretty tough team to play against,” Purchase said. “They have a pretty strong top six. They’ve got a couple players that can really shoot the puck.”

Purchase made 18 saves and was solid throughout the game, seldomly giving the Martlets chances to score.

“We were incredible today. You are never going to get an easy win against Mcgill—they are a tough team,” Purchase said. “Especially in the third, we never gave up down 1-0. I am really proud of the girls.”

“We were really disciplined out there. Our forecheck was tremendous and we got some great goaltending as well,”  Chu added.

The Stingers will travel to Ottawa next Saturday to take on the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees.

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Stingers basketball teams split against UQAM

The men’s team is now 3-3 in the season.

Concordia basketball teams had an up and down afternoon on Saturday

Women’s Basketball

Last time the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team played the Université de Québec a Montréal Citadins, the Citadins won thanks to guard Quételine Célestin. On Jan. 7 however, the Stingers were able to shut Célestin down with a 69-55 victory.

The women’s team has improved to 2-4 this season. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

The win snapped the Stingers’ four-game losing streak.

“I guess we can say that it is a benchmark [game],” said Stingers head coach Tenicha Gittens. “We did some things really well defensively so we want to build on that.”

The Stingers held the Citadins to nine points in the first quarter and 20 in the first half. The Citadins were pressured by the Stingers defence all game and had trouble getting shots off. In the first half, the Citadins made eight out of thirty shots from the field.

Midway through the second quarter, the Stingers extended their lead by going on a 9-0 run in the span of a minute, thanks to three three-pointers.

The second half was also dominant for the Stingers as they continued to play tight and physical. Rookie Caroline Task was also a big factor in the win as she put up a game-high of 20 points.

“All the credit kind of goes to my team,” Task said. “They find me for open shots and they trust me to make it.”

Overall, the Stingers were intense on both sides of the court and UQAM was never able to match their level of play.

The Stingers will take on the McGill Martlets on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m.

Men’s Basketball

All the Stingers men’s basketball team needed was a defensive stop to secure a win against the UQAM Citadins, however, a last-second buzzer-beater by the Citadins put a dash in the Stingers plans. The Citadins won the game 68-67.

“Sometimes in basketball the ball just bounces right up to a guy’s hand,” said Stingers head coach Rastko Popovic. “We got them to take a very difficult shot. We shouldn’t put ourselves in that situation.”

The game started off well for both teams as they went back and forth on offence. The Stingers and the Citadins exchanged points, with the Stingers coming out of the first quarter with a 22-20 lead.

The Stingers started strong in the second quarter and built themselves a 31-21 lead thanks to some key plays by Stingers guard Ken Beaulieu.

After the Stingers extended their lead, the Citadins made their way back in the game thanks to guard Ibrahim Sylla. Sylla scored a game-high of 22 points and led his team to a 39-35 lead at halftime.

The Citadins came out in the third quarter with confidence and were all over the Stingers. After being dominated for most of the quarter, the Stingers called a timeout with four minutes left in the third quarter which gave the team a boost.

Down by seven, the Stingers battled back and tied the game going into the fourth quarter. The Stingers were in a position to win at the end of the game, but the buzzer-beater handed them their third loss of the season.

The Stingers play their next game on Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. against the McGill Redmen.

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Grinding it out on the court

Olivier Simon played hockey until getting introduced to basketball at the age of 10. Photos by Brianna Thicke.

Stingers basketball rookie Olivier Simon talks about his career

Michael Jordan.

That is who Stingers men’s basketball rookie Olivier Simon was quick to name when asked who he models his game after.

“I first saw him in [the movie] Space Jam. I started reading all of his books,” Simon said. “He was the greatest player to ever play in the NBA. He was the model to follow… playing hard, working hard. It’s the only way you can get to this point.”

Standing at six-foot-seven and tipping the scale at about 220 lbs, it would be easy to assume that basketball was something the Terrebonne native was always good at. However, as a youngster,  Simon played hockey until he was introduced to basketball at the age of 10.

“The basketball coach [at the time] was a really good guy,” Simon said. “He was there in the gym at six o’clock in the morning before class to help kids [play] because, at that age, we have a lot of energy.”

Simon added that participating in those extracurricular activities is what lead him to embrace the game of basketball. He developed a passion for the game which lead him to CEGEP Édouard-Montpetit, despite it being about an hour away from his hometown.

“[Édouard-Montpetit] was the only one that recruited me,” Simon said. “If it wasn’t for that school, I would have probably stopped basketball.”

After three years of relative success in CEGEP, Simon had plenty of offers to play at the collegiate level.

The five Quebec university teams—McGill, Bishop’s, Laval, UQAM and Concordia, all wanted to recruit Simon. Simon said he chose Concordia because of the atmosphere and head coach Rastko Popovic set the school apart from the others.. For Simon, everything just seemed to fall into place.

“The team is young—we’re going to build together. I have five years, so that was a big point,” Simon said. “When I talk with coach Popovic, it’s easy. We have the same mentality when it comes to basketball.”

“Saying that he trusted me was the biggest thing you can say to prove to a guy you want him,” Simon added.

Simon smiles for the camera before a game.

When he is not on the court, the rookie forward describes himself as an easygoing person who likes to hangout with friends and family. He particularly likes movies, claiming he watches “lots of Netflix” when he has time.

Besides training on and off the court and juggling his social life, Simon is enrolled in the leisure science program.

“It’s nice. I have a communication and psychology class that I like,” Simon said. “It’s not like math or science with all the numbers. It’s really concrete. We get to know more about us—how we think, how we interact.”

Simon said he wants no part in sitting at a desk with a computer for the rest of his life. He wants to work primarily with kids and be able to give back to the community. He said ideally he would like to stay involved in basketball and even become a part of the program at Concordia.

Simon has already helped make an impact with the Stingers this year, aided by a strong work ethic which he feels came to him early in his career.

“[My work ethic] came from my high school. The CEGEP I went to was the only one that recruited me because, in high school, I wasn’t that good of a player. I always worked hard to get what I want,” Simon said. “It wasn’t always easy to go on the court and do what I have to. I had to overwork. It’s always been like that.”

The Terrebonne native said he knows what his role on the Stingers team is. While he may not play 40 minutes a night, he wants to continue to improve on the little things, each and every game.

Looking towards the future, Simon said he would love to go pro at some point.

“That would be a huge experience,” Simon said.

For now though, Simon is more focused on the Stingers and his university career. He hopes that, while he’s at Concordia, the team can win a championship. Simon would also like to be a leader.

“In my fourth and fifth year, I want to set an example for the new recruits. Like, when they’ll come in the gym, I want them to see me and do the same things because I want everybody to work as hard,” said Simon.

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Stingers split against the Citadins

The women’s team now has a record of 1-2. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

Concordia’s men’s basketball team won against UQAM following a loss by the women’s team

The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team lost to the Université de Québec à Montréal Citadins on Nov. 19 by a score of 74-63. Just a few minutes later, the men’s team took to the court and defeated the Citadins, 79-72.

Women’s Game:

Even though the Stingers made it a close game at the end, the Citadins dominated in their win.

With the win, the Citadins improved their record to 3-0, thanks to contributions from their veterans Quételine Célestin and Jessica Lubin.

“Célestin is a fifth year player. She knows how to use her speed and her strength when there is a mismatch,” said Stingers head coach Tenicha Gittens. “We didn’t make it tough on her.”

Célestin finished with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists, while also going 10-12 from the free throw line. On defense, Célestin was matched up with Stingers guard Richelle Grégoire. Célestin held Grégoire’s shooting to 3-13 from the field. Grégoire also committed six turnovers.

“[Grégoire] had a tough matchup. She was guarding Célestin for the majority of the game,” Gittens said. “You exert a lot of energy guarding Célestin, so sometimes it takes away from what you’re able to do offensively.”

Both teams struggled in the first quarter, with the score ending at 15-12 in favor of the Citadins. At the half, the Citadins were up by six, with a score of 42-36. The Stingers kept the game close but got into penalty trouble which allowed the Citadins to score.

Eventually, the lack of discipline hurt the Stingers and their opponents jumped to a double-digit lead early in the third quarter. The Citadins were able to capitalize on the Stingers’ turnover to increase their lead even further.

“When we can’t score, we tend to panic a little,” said Stingers veteran Marilyse Roy-Viau. “They scored six quick buckets and we kind of let down.”

Roy-Viau led the Stingers, scoring a game-high 23 points.

Men’s Game:

The Stingers were in a close battle with the Citadins throughout the game. They were up by one point with two minutes left when Stingers forward Ken Beaulieu took matters into his own hands and scored a three-pointer that sealed the team’s win.

“That’s a shot I have a lot of confidence in, that’s why I took it,” Beaulieu said.

The men’s team now has a record of 2-1.

The game was intense from the beginning, as both teams went back and forth exchanging leads. The Citadins would be the ones to come out on top in the first quarter a 19-18 lead.

In the second quarter, the Stingers came out firing and were able to take the lead back. They went into half-time with a 40-36 lead.

In the second half, Citadins head coach Nate Philippe changed his team’s system, which led to a slower pace in the game. Both teams scored 16 points in the third quarter, making the score 56-52, in favour of the Stingers heading into the final frame.

“We practice against [their system] every day because we know it’s going to happen,” said Stingers head coach Rastko Popovic. “Down the stretch, we figured it out and got a bunch of open [shots].”

Despite the Stingers only making 41.7 per cent of their shots, the team was able to score 16 points off of turnovers. They also scored 21 points off of second chance opportunities. Those little details proved to be the difference in a game that saw 17 lead changes.

“I thought we did some very good things. We competed hard,” Popovic said. “It’s a great win. We showed a lot of toughness out there tonight.”

Both Stingers basketball teams will now take on the McGill Redmen and Martlets on Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

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From the Bahamas to Charlottetown to Montreal

Ashley Moss will most likely sit out the rest of the season due to an Achilles injury. Photo by Ana Hernandez.

Marvia Dean and Ashley Moss talk about their past, and coming to Concordia

Ashley Moss calls Marvia Dean on the phone.

“Where you at? The interview thing was at like 4:30. They’re waiting for you to come.”

A few minutes later, Dean arrives, and sits next to Moss at a table in the Ed Meagher Arena.

Moss and Dean, rookies on the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team, are two of the most laid back people you’ll ever meet. Nothing seems to bother them too much.

Unfortunately for Moss, she injured her left Achilles tendon and can’t play. Her chances of getting back on the court this year are close to impossible.

As for Dean, she was a force to be reckoned with at the Concordia Classic tournament in October, earning the Most Valuable Player award. She’s gearing up for a season in which the Stingers have the potential to be a top team in their division.

Dean and Moss’s relationship didn’t start at Concordia. In fact, it goes all the way back to their high school days in the Bahamas, where they used to play basketball against each other.

“We’ve known each other since 2006,” Dean said.

According to Dean, if there is one thing they really miss about their hometown, it’s the “famously” known S.S.S, which stands for sun, sand and sea.

Despite being opponents in high school, they became teammates in college. Dean and Moss began their collegiate basketball careers in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) with the Holland College Hurricanes in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Fittingly for them, Charlottetown has strong ties to the Bahamian community, which made their integration that much easier.

“My cousin was already with me, then we recruited Marvia,” Moss said.

Moss explained that Charlottetown is home to many Bahamian teenagers. Like Moss and Dean, most of them are being recruited by friends and family already attending the province’s colleges.

During their two-year stint at Holland College, both players enjoyed success under head coach Mike Connolly.

“We were back-to-back ACAA champions and went to the Nationals for two years straight,” Dean said. “The first year we won the bronze, and the second year we won the silver.”

However, for both women, Charlottetown is not a place that holds any particular emotional attachment. They explained that Charlottetown felt more rural compared to Montreal, and there wasn’t much to do in the city.

Despite the distance between Charlottetown and Montreal, it was still close enough for Stingers head coach Tenicha Gittens and her staff to track the girls down and offer them a spot with the Stingers.

“She came and watched a lot of our games when we were playing in Holland. I guess she liked what she saw,” Dean said. “We then took a recruiting trip, and we liked what we saw on our end. We took our chances by coming here and we like it so far.”

“Coach [Gittens] has made the transition easy for us,” Moss added.

Plenty of offers from other universities to play basketball were on the table, but the Bahamian natives were adamant about “staying together as teammates.”

Marvia Dean picked up an MVP award at the Concordia Classic in October. Photo by Ana Hernandez.

From an academic perspective, both players are working towards careers in business. The goal of coming to Concordia was to succeed both academically and from an athletic standpoint. They are putting in as much effort off the court as on it.

“I am in open academics? but I’m looking to transfer into business school,” Dean said. As for Moss, she is already doing a business certificate. They hope to learn the basic principles of business, then decide which specific field they are going to pursue.

Both women agreed that, after university, they would like to stay in Canada — but would probably leave Montreal. A city like Toronto is attractive to them, but that doesn’t mean Montreal is a city they don’t enjoy.

Coming into their careers with the Concordia Stingers, both Moss and Dean are looking to work on their mindsets.

“The game here is a lot quicker than back at Holland, so we’re just adjusting to everything right now,” Dean said. “We’re going one step at a time, improving on the little things like the effort we bring to every game.”

As for their new teammates, Dean and Moss can sense that they have joined a really diversified group, where people come from very different backgrounds.

“For us right now, it’s a little bit different, because we speak a different language  so not everyone understands us,” Dean said. “You know, we have to slow it down before we get there.”

“We’re animated enough,” Moss added.

Both players are excited to get in their first regular season game with the Stingers, even though Moss might have to wait until next season.

The team plays their first game against the Bishop’s Gaiters at home on Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m.

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Stingers fall short in Concordia Classic

The Concordia Stingers finished as runners up in the Concordia Classic tournament. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

Concordia lost to a powerful Brock Badgers team in the finals of their home tournament

After winning their first two games, the Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team lost to a talented Brock University squad in the finals of the Concordia Classic tournament. Led by fourth year forward Dani Elgadi, the Badgers defeated all three opposing teams and put on a shooting display every time they set foot on the court. Elgadi also took home the most valuable player trophy.

Despite the loss, Stingers head coach Rastko Popovic was proud of his team’s effort, although he said the team had issues when it came to starting games off slow.

Popovic added he was happy with the performance of rookie forward Olivier Simon, who was named to the tournament’s all-star team.

“I think the world of Olivier Simon. He just comes in everyday works hard and listens,” Popovic said. “I always tell our players you got to be a hundred per cent coachable. The effort and the attitude is there. He’s just showing how good he can be.”

Fourth year guard Ken Beaulieu was also named to the tournament’s all-star team. Beaulieu, who maintained an average of 15 points per game in the tournament, explained how he got his points.

“I’m just trying to find the easy buckets, find the open guy and go to the basket, stuff like that,” Beaulieu said. “Sometimes my teammates tell me to take more shots.”

The Stingers started their tournament against the Nipissing University Lakers. Both teams started out sluggish and neither could get an offensive game going. By halftime, both teams had combined for a 39.34 shooting percentage from the field. Going into halftime, the Stingers trailed by four points, 35-31.

“I don’t think the energy was there at the beginning of the game,” Popovic said.

The Stingers were a different team in the second half. They outscored their opponent 40-31 with 10 of those points coming from turnovers. They were able to pull away and won the game 81-69.

In the second game, the Stingers played Cape Breton University. Cape Breton came out of the gate hard, as the team scored the first 10 points of the quarter. However, the Stingers were able to answer back in a wildly contested half that saw several lead changes. Both teams had the lead at times and exchanged baskets. The Stingers came out of the half on top with a 38-37 lead.

The Stingers will now head off to Prince Edward Island for their next tournament.

In the second half, the Stingers managed to hold the visitors to a field goal percentage of 16 per cent to secure their second win in a row.  The final score was 75-53.

In the final game against Brock University, the Stingers were no match for the team’s powerful offence. Elgadi made 15 out of 20 shots from the field and scored 36 points en-route to a 95-78 victory over the Stingers.

“He’s one of the best players in Canada and he showed why today,” Popovic said. “We didn’t defend him how we were supposed to defend with what we had in the scouting report.”

After finishing as runners-up in the tournament, Popovic explained what his team needs to do to be better in the future.

“We got to defend better for 40 minutes. We got to play harder for 40 minutes,” Popovic said. “We have to execute the gameplan. We got to make other guys beat us instead of the top scorers.”

The Stingers next game is on Oct. 14 in the first game of the University of Prince Edward Island tournament.

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