SHERBROOKE, Que. - The Bishop's Gaiters Men's Basketball team will certainly boast a different look from the squad that won the school's first RSEQ Championship since 1999 a season ago.  Just three players return from the 2014-15 team. 
 
The young Gaiters won't use that as an excuse as they know that anything can happen in the RSEQ.  The veterans leading the way are Jona Bermillo (Montreal) who was named player of the game in the RSEQ semifinal and CIS Final-8 quarter-final and David Belanger (Sherbrooke, Que.) who has taken on a leadership role and played some of his best basketball as a Gaiter in the 2015-16 pre-season.  Also back is Mathew van Doorn (Granby, Que.) who played limited minutes a year ago.
 
That's it. The rest of the team will officially put on the purple and silver for the first time when they step onto the floor in Montreal for their season opener at UQAM on Nov. 12. There is a lot of talent in the newcomers who will have no choice but to contribute if the Gaiters will be successful. Rookie forward Abdul Kamane (Montreal) has looked good in the pre-season as he transitions from the Cegep game when he played at Vanier College.  Gaiters big-man Majid Naji (Lunel, France) played out his eligibility last season but the Gaiters have his younger brother Yassin on the team this season. Peter Weston (Quebec City), a third-year transfer from Saint Anselm College is starting to gel with his new teammates.  He led the Gaiters with 21 points in a 79-77 victory over the Laurentian Voyageurs at the Hawk invitational, the Gaiters final CIS tune-up before the regular season.  Freshman Nick Harvey (Saint-Bruno, Que.) has also not been phased in  his transition to CIS competition.  The Champlain-St.Lambert alum has been key in multiple games for the Gaiters early on.
 
Bishop's also lost height from a year ago with the loss of Naji (6-11), Matt McLean (6-9) and former league MVP Mike Andrews (6-10).  They got a pile of that height back in the form of former junior national team member Jonah Fogg (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) who stands 6-11 and weighs in at 295 pounds and will look to make a difference when he is on the floor.
 
"There's no denying it, we are a young team," said Gaiters head coach Rod Gilpin.  "We struggled early this pre-season but started to play better in Ottawa (the Gaiters finished 2-1 at the House Laughton Tournament hosted by Carleton). We have a big learning curve but as long as we continue to improve we will be successful.  In the RSEQ the goal is to make the playoffs then anything can happen."
 
Gilpin returns for his eighth season with the Gaiters' men's team. He coached the Lady Gaiters for 14 years prior to that. Sitting to his side on the bench will once again be former CIS Coach of the Year Craig Norman who is back and will also help out the women's squad. The Gaiters' staff is rounded out by Dan Pfliger, Steve Dunn and Caleb Page all who contributed to the success a year ago.
 
Bishop's has posted a 3-5 record against CIS competition and a 5-8 overall record in the pre-season this fall. They closed out the pre-season in Massachusetts with a 77-67 win over WPI and a 72-56 loss to American International College. 
 
The Gaiters will face UQAM in Montreal at 8 p.m. on Thurs., Nov. 12 to open the RSEQ regular season.  They will then host the No.3 McGill Redmen on Sat., Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. in Mitchell Gym.  Tickets for Saturday's game are available online at www.gaiters.ca/tickets.
 
Webcasts
Thursday at UQAM: http://tvgo.ca/uqam/
Saturday vs McGill: www.gaiters.ca/webcast
 
Quick team info:
2014-15 Record: 8-8, 3^rd in RSEQ
RSEQ Playoffs: 2-0, RSEQ Champions
CIS Final-8: 0-2
Head Coach: Rod Gilpin, 8^th year
 
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Clare Webb
Sports Information Intern