Men's basketball team head to nationals
Men’s basketball team off to nationals
The Concordia Stingers defeated the UQÀM Citadins 77-47 to win their second consecutive Réseau de sports étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) men’s basketball championship and a berth at the Canadian International Sport (CIS) national championship in Halifax from March 9 to 11.
Concordia was in control from start to finish, however no single player dominated the game.
“Defence wins championships and that’s how we won tonight,” said third-year guard Kyle Desmarais. “Coach (John Dore) had us start pressing from the beginning. We were tough, we were physical and that’s how we won.”
Alumni in Halifax are invited to attend and cheer on the Stingers. A fan bus is planned to take family and friends to the nationals. More information is available on the Concordia athletics website.
Men’s basketball round-up
Forward Evens Laroche was named MVP of the Quebec men’s university basketball conference on February 27.
Laroche finished the season with an average of 13.3 points and 7.0 rebounds a game. He also averaged 2.6 steals, a game which is tops in the Quebec conference and second in the CIS rankings. Laroche is the only Stinger on the RSEQ first all-star team. It is his second all-star honour.
Desmarais and and fifth-year guard Decee Krah were named to the second team. Desmarais led Quebec in scoring with an average of 13.9 points a game. He was a first team all-star and league MVP in 2011. Krah was second in league scoring with 13.4 points a game. It’s the third all-star honour for Krah.
Dore was named RSEQ Coach of the Year. He has now been honoured as the outstanding coach on 13 occasions.
Women’s basketball team could advance to nationals
Kaylah Barrett poured in a game-high 23 points against the McGill Martlets but it wasn’t enough to lead the Concordia Stingers to victory in the recent RSEQ championship game.
The McGill Martlets held on for a 56-49 victory and their first Quebec title since 1996. Despite the loss, Concordia still has a chance to get to the CIS national championship in Calgary from March 17 to 19. The Stingers have earned a berth in a four-team regional playdown at the University of Saskatchewan March 9 and 10, which will be broadcast on the Streaming Sports Network (SSN). The winner of tournament advances to the nationals.
Women’s basketball round-up
Barrett, a second-year guard with the Stingers, was named Most Outstanding Player of the Year in the Quebec women’s basketball conference on February 27.
Barrett is a leader in several of the RSEQ’s statistical categories. With an average of 15.5 points a game, she is second in scoring in the RSEQ. She is third in rebounding with an average of 6.5 a game and leads the conference in steals with 2.1 a game. Along with MVP honours, Barrett was named to the first all-star team.
Magalie Beaulieu, a fourth-year guard from St. Laurent, Que., was named to the second all-star team. She was second in team scoring with an average of 8.4 points a game.
Natasha Raposo, a guard from Montreal, was named to the conference all-rookie team. She averaged 6.1 points and 15 minutes of playing time a game.
Three Stingers named to men’s hockey honour roll
George Lovatsis was named to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East men’s hockey first all-star team, while Concordia Stinger teammates Michael Stinziani and Eric Bégin were named to the second all-star team.
Lovatsis, a third-year centre from Newmarket, Ont., scored 20 goals and added 20 assists for 40 points in 28 games. He was fourth in OUA scoring and fifth overall in the CIS.
Stinziani, a third-year right wing from Montreal, scored 12 goals and 31 assist for 43 points in 27 games. He led the Stingers in scoring. He was also the second-leading scorer in the OUA and ranked third in the CIS.
Bégin, a fifth-year defenceman and the Stingers’ captain, was one of the top scoring blueliners in the CIS, finishing second overall with 12 goals and 24 assists for 36 points in 28 games.
Related links:
• Concordia athletics homepage
• Streaming Sports Network
• Information on the fan bus to Halifax