Concordia men’s basketball prepares for battle

In the midst of the preseason, the team is developing its identity

SportsSamuel Kayll — Published October 6, 2026 3 minutes

The Stingers underperformed in 2026, a year after finishing fifth at the 2025 U Sports Final 8 tournament. A 10-9 season was still good for third in the conference, but Concordia bowed out of postseason contention after an 85-76 overtime loss to the Université Laval Rouge et Or in the RSEQ semifinals. With a sizable chunk of the roster returning this season, a return to form could be on the horizon.

A major boost for Concordia came in June, when the team announced the signing of Damian Buckley as the team’s full-time head coach. Buckley was appointed as interim in 2026 after former head coach Rastko Popovic stepped down, and has guided the team through the preseason as they prepare for the year. 

Concordia played two games against NCAA opponents in August, dropping matchups against the East Coast All-Stars and Baylor University. The team picked up its first preseason win on Sept. 20, an 82-74 win over the University of New Brunswick Reds.

The Stingers then headed to the University of Victoria to play in the Guy Vetrie Memorial Tournament, where they took on the host Vikes in their first game. Concordia hung around with the 2026 national bronze medalists, but ultimately fell 86-75. The team secured wins in its final two tournament games, taking down Lakehead University 89-58 and then the University of Alberta 70-67. 

“On the court, finishing 2-1 against three very good teams, three very different teams, gives us a good idea of where we're at and where we need to go and what we need to work on,” Buckley said in a post-tournament discussion with Concordia. “So I'm super proud of our guys for coming out and really competing at a high level.”

Stingers rookie Jason-Junior Ebinumolise impressed in limited action against Lakehead, with four points, one rebound and three steals in just eight minutes. He hopes to bring the same defensive prowess to the team throughout the season.

“I think I'm going to be able to guard one through whatever and be able to stay in front of my guy from the tip-off to the end of the game,” Ebinumolise said. “I feel like I can guard the best players and guard 94 ft.” 

The Stingers then played three straight nonconference games back in Quebec, the first an 83-74 loss to Queen’s University on Oct. 2. An 84-73 win against the University of Guelph on Oct. 3 got the team back on track, but Concordia then dropped their contest against Mount Royal University on Oct. 4 by a score of 76-68. 

Fellow Concordia rookie Craig Storah also suited up in spot minutes throughout the preseason for the Stingers. He recognizes what it’ll take to carve out a role as a first-year player.

“As a rookie, there's not like a, ‘You're 100 per cent going to be in the rotation.’ It's more week in, week out, I'll have to earn every minute I get,” Storah said. “Then if I string together a good few practices, [...] I could earn that rotation spot.”

With a roster mixed with rookie contributors and veteran talent, the Stingers have the potential to make a run in the conference and the country. But it remains to be seen how the team will put it all together.

Concordia’s next game comes on Friday, Oct. 9, in a preseason game against the University of Ottawa. The team gets its first taste of RSEQ competition on Nov. 7 when it travels to Lennoxville to take on Bishop's University.