Semi-Final RSEQ Basketball McGill vs UQAM (2020/02/26)

Full game statistics: https://mcgillathletics.ca/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2019-20/-uqam-rseq-semifinal-/boxscore/9375 - Citadins arrest McGill, again, in post-season college hoops upset - MONTREAL -- It was a night of upsets, unseen before in Quebec university men's basketball history, with the top two seeds being knocked off their pedestal, Wednesday, in the unforgiving sudden-death RSEQ semifinal format. At Love Competition Hall, Frantson Demosthene registered a "double-double" as fourth-seeded UQAM rallied in the final quarter to defeat division-leading McGill 70-61. It was an upset that was perhaps foreseeable to some as the cross-town rivals had split their regular season four-game series, with UQAM holding the upper hand in points scored and rebounds. The result also marked the second time in as many post-season confrontations that the Citadins came away the victor, in the wake of five previous playoff eliminations to McGill. Meanwhile, at the other end of town, third-seeded Bishop's surprised second-place Concordia, 78-71. As a result, the Gaiters will host UQAM in the Quebec league championship game on Saturday night, with the winner advancing to the Final Eight national championship tourney in Ottawa. Despite missing their top scorer and first-team all-star Jamal Mayali -- who was a last-minute scratch due to a bout with the flu -- McGill started the game off strong. They led 15-11 after the opening quarter and took a 28-25 advantage into halftime, But UQAM responded by winning the third quarter 24-22 and narrowed the gap to 50-49, then dominated the final stanza 21-11. McGill was ahead 60-59 but UQAM took a one point-lead with five minutes remaining while on an 11-1 run down the stretch to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. "I think everyone knows it's pretty obvious if we had Jamal we might be a little better but let us not get into 'what might have been the case' -- (We lost) to the better team," said McGill bench boss David DeAveiro, who was named just before tip-off as the Quebec conference coach of the year. "In the first half we took care of the ball, and in the second half, we didn't. They turned their defence up and we didn't know how to play. We didn't (try going through the) back door and we didn't keep them honest. They cranked it up to another level and we couldn't respond." Levi Londole from LaSalle, Que., scored a game-high 16 points for McGill. The 6-foot-8 junior forward, who was voted as a second-team all-star and the league's most outstanding defensive player, went 4-for-8 from the field, 8-for-12 from the free-throw line, and contributed both a block and a steal in 39 minutes on the court. Other McGillians to reach double digits included Will Ramberg from Grand Marais, Minn, who scored a dozen points, while newly-minted first team all-star Quarry Whyne and JJ Hamel-Carey both registered 10 points apiece. UQAM's offence was led by Schneiders Suffrard (14 pts), Alix Lochard (13), the aforementioned Demosthene (12) and Christopher Adu (10). "We played our butts off today, we played really hard and left it on the floor. I am extremely proud of our kids, we've had a pretty good season. We lost to a really good team today, probably the best team in the league and they played like it today," added DeAveiro of his young squad that has no expected losses and was composed of five freshmen, five sophomores and six juniors... Full Recap Article: https://mcgillathletics.ca/news/2020/2/26/mens-basketball-citadins-arrest-mcgill-again-in-post-season-college-hoops-upset.aspx