CIS Hoops.ca

QUICK NOTE FROM WASS... I was very close to getting through the flu season unscathed however things caught up with me yesterday afternoon and I caught a reasonably major bug that has limited my locations to either bed or the toilet. Still ailing but we are lucky that readers in Quebec have emailed in their thoughts on last night's games. To those who sent in recaps... THANK YOU.

UQAM 75 at Concordia 84 Game Recap from Alexandre Tourigny, who sends along a nice note indicating that English is not his first language - all the more reason to thank him for his contribution - Alex: your English grammar is tremendous! thanks again... It was an emotional night at the Concordia gym on Thursday. A brief ceremony took place before the game to honor Patrick Perrotte and Benjamin Sormonte as it could have been their last game. (Note: It could also have been UQAM's Marc-Olivier Beauchamp last game). The game started slowly for both teams. UQAM played well in the first minutes of the game. Bruno Bernier-Visotzky drained a 3-pointer early on, which put the large and already loud UQAM crowd into a frenzy as UQAM took a 4 points lead. Both teams exchanged a 2 points lead for most of the first half but Concordia went on a 8 point run to end the half. The Stingers started the 2nd half just like they ended the first, bulding a 28 point lead with a little more than 10 minutes to go. Concordia played very well on defence, especially in the key. UQAM shots just refused to go in and since they weren't able to go under the basket, they were pretty much in trouble. UQAM then start to foul a lot (questionable calls from the referees on both side tonight, not a good day for them). Most of the fouls were on Damien Buckley. He responded with a 19 on 22 at the free throw line. The Citadins came back within 7 pts of the Stingers but finally lost by 9, 84-75. Also, a quick recap from the CIS web site Concordia outlasts QAM Game notes : Concordia outrebounded UQAM 41-29. The Stingers were an impressive 31 for 38 at the free throw line. This was captain Marc-Olivier Beauchamp's last game as a Citadins, ending a great career at UQAM. He went 8-20 on the field for 22 pts, 9 rebounds and 2 steals. Concordia will now receive Laval Rouge et Or in the final. Here is an article from Randy Phillips of the Montreal Gazette on last night's game Subpar Stingers Reach Hoops Final

McGill 69 at Laval 83 With thanks to Jacques Paiement for his thoughts on the game last night... Fifth-year senior Jean-Michel Leblanc, trying to do his best Martin Ajayi impersonation, scored 20 second-half points on a great shootng display coming off screens to lead the Rouge et Or into the "Q" championship game next Friday night against Concordia in Montreal. LeBlanc (pictured) finished with a game-high 27 points including 6 for 9 shooting from behind the arc. Laval's J.P. Morin (23 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists) had his usual night at the office, scoring 16 second-half points in a variety of ways, while cleaning the boards and kicking out to LeBlanc and others when doubled inside. Freshman F.O. Hebert had a perfect shooting performance percentage wise being 5 for 5 from the floor and 6 for 6 at the charity stripe. The Rouge et Or led right from the start of the game and by as much as 8-10 points most of the second part of the first half only to see McGill close out the first half on a mini-run to draw to within 3 by the intermission. Laval then took a double digit lead with about 8 minutes remaining to close out the game strong. McGill, which shot 56.8% as a team but hurt themselves with 19 turnovers, got 21 from third-year forward Sean Anthony and solid contributions from a pair of freshmen in Matt Thornhill (15 points) and Paul Herra (13 points).

From McMaster Athletics and Recreation ... Tickets for the OUA West Men's Basketball Basketball Finals featuring McMaster University at the University of Windsor will be available for sale at McMaster University Business Office located in the David Braley Athletic Centre beginning tomorrow at 9:00 A.M. Adult and Senior Tickets are $8.00 and Student and Children tickets for $5.00. Bus Tickets for the event, leaving the Ivor Wynne Centre at 3:30 P.M. on Saturday March 3, 2007 are available at cost of $5.00 for Students and $10.00 for Adults. (Advanced Ticket Purchase Required) The bus will depart from the University of Windsor following the game. Please note that bus trip patrons will require one bus ticket and one event ticket to get on the bus and into the venue. The Business Office in the David Braley Athletic Centre will be open on Friday March 2, 2007 from 9:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. and on Saturday March 3, 2007 from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Tickets are also available by phone by calling (905) 525-9140 x 24464.



CANADA WEST MEN'S FINAL FOUR

Here's what you need to know -- from the schedule to the challengers -- about the hoops showdown at Brandon University:

FRIDAY: First Round

7 PM Eastern: UBC (#2 seed) vs. Saskatchewan (#3 seed)

9 PM Eastern: Brandon (#1 seed) vs. Victoria (#4 seed)


Saturday: Finals

7 p.m.: Bronze medal game

9 p.m.: Gold medal game


BRANDON BOBCATS
Record: 20-2 regular season; 4-0 playoffs.
Top scorers: Dany Charley (16.5 ppg average), Yuri Whyms (14.0), Adam Hartman (13.5), Yui Michel (13.5).
Team scoring average: 92.0.
Opponent scoring average: 81.0.

UBC THUNDERBIRDS
Record: 20-3 regular season; 4-0 playoffs.
Top scorers: Casey Archibald (22.3), Bryson Kool (14.5), Chris Dyck (13.3), Jason Birring (13.3).
Team scoring average: 85.2
Opponent scoring average: 71.2.

SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES
Record: 13-9 regular season; 3-2 playoffs.
Top scorers: Andrew Spagrud (25.8), Rejean Chabot (18.0), Kyle Grant (13.0).
Team scoring average: 74.5.
Opponent scoring average: 73.5

VICTORIA VIKES
Record: 20-3 regular season; 2-2 playoffs.
Top scorers: Jacob Doerksen (14.8), Brandon Ellis (13.6), Josh Whyte (13.0), Graeme Bollinger (10.8).
Team scoring average: 72.2.
Opponent scoring average: 73.8

MEDIA COVERAGE FOR TONIGHT'S CANADA WEST SEMI-FINALS

The UBC vs. Saskatchewan game, beginning at 7 PM Eastern, 6 PM Central and 4 PM Pacific time can be heard on UBC campus radio CiTR by clicking here - UBC/Sask audio

The UVic at Brandon game, beginning approximately at 9 PM Eastern, 8 PM Central and 6 PM Pacific, can be heard on UVic campus radio by clicking here - UVic/Brandon audio

Saskatchewan Huskies hope to have point guard Jordan Harbidge back in time for Friday's Canada West semi-final game against UBC in Brandon as Kevin Mitchell from the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix reports All Hands on Deck for Hoop Huskies The game will be broadcast on the internet on www.citr.ca

Dan Stinson from the Vancouver Sun reports on UBC's quest to stop 6'8" Andrew Spagrud and the rest of the Saskatchewan Huskies tomorrow night and recaps the T-Birds recent trip into Saskatoon for a league game Cold Comfort for UBC

Ron Rauch from the Victoria Times-Colonist previews tonight's UVic at Brandon semi-final with the winner earning an automatic bid to the CIS Nationals A Win Away from Halifax

Also, a UVic article from a local Victoria publication Esquimalt News Article

As always, Huskiehoops.com has a comprehensive preview of this weekend's action Huskies T-Birds Meet For Second Straight Year

Game preview from UBC web site Win and They're In

RECRUITING NEWS UBC announced that 6'2" Nathan Yu and 6'8" Nick Adair have committed to the T-Birds for next season. Nathan Yu is the younger brother of former T-Bird Jordan Yu Two of Province's Best commit to T-Birds

6'7" Jared Mintz, originally from Community Hebrew Academy Toronto (CHAT) who spent this season with Toronto Vaughan Road Vipers, has apparently commited to Lafayette of the NCAA Division 1 Patriot League. York Lions, among others, were mentioned as possible CIS programs that Mintz may have considered.