Bishop’s 82, Concordia 56: Stingers Women’s Basketball Team Suffers Home Opener Loss

The Bishop’s Gaiters Remain Undefeated After Picking Up Their Second Win of the Season at Loyola Campus

SportsLiam Christin — Published November 13, 2022 2 minutes

With the regular season still in its earliest stages, Stingers fans brimmed with excitement in the team’s regular season home opener. The Bishop’s Gaiters travelled from Sherbrooke to face their Réseau de Sport Étudiant du Québec rivals at the Concordia Gymnasium. 

The Gaiters stayed strong offensively from start to finish. They tacked on an impressive 82 points and dictated the pace throughout the game with good vision, ball control and communication. 

The Stingers had trouble raising their numbers on the scoreboard and keeping up with their opponent, with 15 turnovers recorded and only 23 of their 59 field goal attempts being successful.

“They converted on those second chance opportunities,” said Stingers’ Head Coach Tenicha Gittens after the game. “We lack toughness right now, it’s a mindset,” she continued, explaining how the loss was also due to a lack of overall effort. “You’ve got to have grit, you’ve got to be tough, you’ve got to want it more than the other person,” Gittens explained.

The Stingers indeed had a difficult time keeping things going, with Bishop’s out rebounding them 28-45 and recording eight steals. Despite the low shooting percentage, The Stingers kept pace with the Gaiters from beyond the arc. Concordia converted five three-point attempts, while Bishop's made six.

“Everybody has to put more effort in everything,” explained Stingers Forward Serena Tchida, who was the team’s top scorer for the game with 18 points. “I can’t be the only scorer, Areej [Burgonio] can’t be the only passer, we need to work on team bonding.”

The Stingers understand how important building up chemistry is. Coach Gittens addressed the issue: “If you come see us in practice, I always have to get on everybody, it’s like ‘get on your teammate!’ We don’t have enough of that where we’re accountable.” 

Gittens however expressed no intention of letting go. She acknowledged the young age of the group and the inexperience that may come with it but refused to make any excuses for the loss. She remains locked in on what’s next for the team. 

“We’re going to try our best to do better next time,” said Serena Tchida, who expressed confidence in her team. “We got this.”

The Stingers regrouped and bested the McGill Martlets on Nov. 12 by a score of 55-44. They now prepare to take on the Laval Rouge et or on Nov. 19. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m..