SHERBROOKE, Que – The Bishop's Gaiters men's basketball team came back from a 46-34 halftime deficit, but in the end could not knock off the UQAM Citadins as they fell, 76-72, in university basketball action at the Mitchell Gym, Saturday.
The Gaiters (3-7, 0-2 RSEQ) trailed by as many as 14 points late in the second quarter, thanks to a 12-0 Citadins run midway through the period, but chipped away at the lead in the third quarter, and took their first lead of the game as they went up 65-64 with 5:42 to play.
After
Nick Harvey (St-Bruno, Que.) made a nice free-throw to break a 69-69 tie with 2:57 left, the Citadins' Grieshe Clerjuste (Montreal, Que.) responded with a three-pointer to put the visitors back up by two. Harvey tied the game at 72-72 on a layup with 1:22 to go. UQAM's Christopher Doumpa (Montreal, Que.) broke the tie with 10 seconds to play. The Gaiters, who were out of time outs, couldn't push the ball up to midcourt, and a held ball gave the ball back to UQAM with six seconds left. A pair of free throws by Yassin Debache (Tunis, Tunisia) with five seconds left clinched the win for UQAM (6-3, 1-0 RSEQ).
Jona Bermillo (Montreal, Que.) led the Gaiters with 14 points and seven rebounds. Harvey finished with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds. He went 9-for-10 at the line.
Joany Castor-Thadal (St-Leonard, Que.) chipped in with 12 points.
For UQAM, Clerjuste and Charles Miller (Montreal, Que.) each scored 23 points, while Doumpa ended with ten. Christian Kadima finished with a game-high 12 rebounds for the Citadins, who out-rebounded Bishop's 44-38.
Bishop's shot only 34.8 per cent from the field in the game, while UQAM hit 48.4 per cent of their shots. The Gaiters forced 23 UQAM turnovers, with Bermillo's four steals leading the defensive charge.
The Gaiters are next in action on Friday, as they visit the Laval Rouge et Or. Tip off at the PEPS in Quebec City is set for 8 p.m. They return home on Nov. 26, when they host McGill. UQAM's next game is Thursday, as they host the McGill Redmen.
