Men’s Basketball: Late Fouls Cut Stingers Comeback Short

Stingers Lose Enthralling Game to UQAM Citadins

Stingers veteran Mukiya Post handles the ball during his team’s 80-73 loss to UQAM this past Thursday. Post scored 27 points in the loss. Photo Fatma Daldoul

The Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team kept it close against the UQAM Citadins this past Thursday night, but ultimately came up short, losing 80-73 at the Concordia Gymnasium.

The Stingers were down by as many as 10 points in some parts of the game, but managed to hold a 70-68 lead late in the fourth, their first lead since the second quarter.

However, Concordia lost two key players, Ricardo Monge and Ken Beaulieu, who were forced out of the game after questionable fouls.

“I didn’t think it was a well-officiated game,” said head coach John Dore after the loss.

“[Beaulieu] got the technical [foul] for demonstrative behaviour and you can’t show up a referee,” Dore continued. “Obviously, I didn’t agree with that call at that point in the game, but at that time I think the referee should warn him.”

Coach Dore was not the only person who had a problem with that call.

“[The referees] said that we were complaining all the time. I don’t know what to say, just stupid calls. Just lost a game we should have won,” said Beaulieu. “I think I could have made a change [if I was in the game].”

While Beaulieu was a key part of the Stingers’ play until his exit, it was Mukiya Post who carried the team, scoring 25 of his 27 points in the second half.

“I think Mukiya started the game slowly. He did not have a good first half,” said Stingers head coach John Dore. “But then he made some shots in the second half, got to the free throw line, got some rebounds.”

Post came up big for the Stingers late in the game, scoring clutch shots to keep the score close.

“Everyone likes to play in those moments to make a big shot,” said Post. “For sure everyone likes to do that, everyone likes to hit the big shots and the shots that put you ahead late in the game.”

Unfortunately, Post couldn’t deliver the Stingers to victory once Monge and Beaulieu were out of the game, as they allowed nine straight points from UQAM after Monge fouled out. The Stingers scored one more three-pointer from Post, but they could not keep up.

The Maroon and Gold will be playing in two tournaments, the Dick Versace Classic and the Chuck Daly Memorial Classic after Christmas, before they play their first league game of 2015 against the Bishop’s University Gaiters on Jan. 15.