MONTREAL –
Nervens Demosthene (Terrebonne, Que./Cegep de Montmorency) scored 20 for the Bishop's Gaiters but the RSEQ's top-team, the Concordia Stingers, defended their home court and pulled away to a 79-71 win in the conference semifinal. Sami Ghandour scored a game-high 23 points but it was Adrian Armstrong's clutch three-point shooting that ultimately buried the Gaiters.
A frantic start paced the Stingers to an early advantage, Armstrong opened with three consecutive triples. Demosthene replied for the Gaiters, he scored the team's first 10 points and kept the rowdy Concordia Gymnasium from erupting too loudly. After a quarter, the Stingers led 23-15 and were 6-11 from behind the arc.
Bishop's big-men
Jordan Thornhill (Montreal, Que./John Abbott College),
Andrew Howarth (Oakville, Ont./Thomas A. Blakelock H.S.) and
Emile Babin (Rimouski, Que./Cegep Sainte-Foy) all were in early foul trouble; however, the Gaiters were able to chip away and used a late run in the stanza to cut the lead to nine, 41-32 at the break.
Yassin Naji (Lunel, France/Lycee Pothier Orleans) came alive in the third frame. He scored all eight of his points in the quarter and Demosthene knocked down a half-court shot as time expired to put Bishop's within three points, 53-50 heading into the final 10 minutes.
Momentum remained on the Gaiters side early in the fourth quarter and the sea of purple fans who made the trek to NDG were boisterous. Just over a minute into the fourth, Bishop's gabbed their first lead of the game.
Unfortunately, for the Gaiters they were not able to hang on and a pair of timely Concordia three-pointers including a deep one from Armstrong as the shot clock expired buried Bishop's.
Concordia hung onto win 79-71 and now move onto the RSEQ Final where they host the UQAM Citadins while the loss ends the Bishop's Gaiters season.
Armstrong finished with 22 points including six three pointers. Ghandour had nine rebounds to go along with his efficient 23 points; he was 9-12 from the floor. Oge Nwogo was the only other Stinger in double figures with 12 points.
For Bishop's Demosthene's 20 led the way while
Joany Castor Thadal (Montreal, Que./Champlain Collge St-Lambert) scored 17 off the bench and Kamane added 11.
Prior to the start of the game the Gaiters' RSEQ all-stars and major award winners were honoured.
Kevin Davis (Baltimore, MD/Digital Harbor H.S.) (1
st team all-star)
Abdul Kamane (Montreal, Que./Vanier College) (2
nd team all-star)
Duncan Lambert (Kingston, Ont./Regiopolis Notre Dame C.H.S.) (RSEQ Leadership Award)
Pictured with
Matt McBrine, Director of Athletics & Recreation at Bishop's.
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