Back on the Winning Road

Men’s Team Wins First Two Games Back From Break

SportsJulian McKenzie — Published January 13, 2014 | Updated January 14, 2014 at 3:40am

The last time the Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team had to face the UQAM Citadins, on Nov. 7, they were coming off an eight-game losing streak and had mustered only one win in their 11 preseason games.

They extended their losing streak to nine after losing to UQAM in the 2013-2014 regular season opener that night, allowing 23 points in the fourth period in a 51-46 loss.

Three months later and it’s as if a whole new Stingers team has taken the court, with the team winning its last three regular-season games and its last five match-ups overall.

Two of those regular season wins came in a home-and-home sweep of the Citadins this past weekend, by the score of 67-54 and 76-68 respectively.

Stingers head coach John Dore is pleased with the turnaround, though is quick to add the team still has a ways to go.

“We’re a young team, but we’re getting better and better,” said Dore at the end of his team’s first win over UQAM.

“You can see the improvement, they can feel it. But it’s not good enough, we’ve got to keep going.”

After starting the season 0-3 the Stingers currently sit in third-place in the Réseau étudiant du Québec conference with a 3-3 record.

It seems all the players needed was time to get settled into their roles.

“My goal is to bring energy,” said sophomore forward Michael Fosu. “Get as many rebounds and run the floor—that’s the main goal.”

Players like Adam Chmielewski and Mukiya Post have been leading the way offensively, and are among the top scorers in the RSEQ.

In Friday’s home game against UQAM, Post and Chmielewski scored 20 and 12 points, respectively.

It may have to be a one-man show for a little while, however, as Post was seen limping around the locker room after the game with what was later confirmed as an ankle sprain.

Rookie forward Josue-Smith Telfort also suffered an injury in the early part of Friday’s game.

Neither he nor Post played in the follow-up match at UQAM the next day.

The team has yet to confirm when both players will return to the lineup.

In spite of these developments, the team remains hopeful it’ll be able to maintain its newfound success.

“I’m confident with this group,” Fosu said. “I’m not even hesitant about that.”

“Our goal is to be better tomorrow than we were today,” added Dore.

“If we do that, then we’ve got a chance in the end.”

The Stingers have one more matchup versus UQAM this season, a home date on Feb. 13.

The team’s next game is at the Laval Rouge et Or, who sit in fourth place in the RSEQ Confrerence on Jan. 16.