Gee-Gees Strike Early and Often

20-Point Deficit in the First Quarter Sinks Stingers

SportsVince Morello — Published October 31, 2014

The Stingers lost their preseason game against the Ottawa Gee-Gees this past Thursday, 82-60, a game where in the first quarter the Stingers found themselves down 22-2.

“The first quarter, they came out shooting the lights out,” said Stingers veteran Michael Fosu. “So it was easy for them to get in a groove and we were not. Offensively we were not there at all.”

Despite the awful start, the Stingers eventually picked up their game and levelled out the Gee-Gees. However, the opponents proved a little too difficult to contain offensively.

“We get down 22-2 to start the game,” said head coach John Dore, “The rest of the game is pretty much even.”

Stingers guard Mukiya Post led his team with 14 points, but the Gee-Gees’ offence was too strong. They had four players who scored more than 10 points, and Johnny Berhanemeskel had a game-high 18 points.

Though the loss was a difficult one for the Stingers, both the players and coach acknowledge that losses are part of developing a young team.

“We’re doing what we can, we’re growing as a team,” said Dore. “We’re a young team, it’s process [and] it’s going to take some time.”

“I think our interior scoring has to improve, and our overall team defence,” Dore continued. “We’ve come a long way but we still have a ways to go.”

“It’s a learning process,” said rookie player Ricardo Monge. “I went to college where my first year was the same thing, a lot of ups and downs. You just have to keep learning from your mistakes, keep learning from every game.

“I think our communication on defence [has to improve],” added Monge. “I mean we’re looking to improve everything so it’s hard to point a finger at one thing, but if I had to pick it would be that.”

The Stingers men’s basketball team will look to end their preseason on high note when they play an exhibition game in Vermont on Nov. 1.

Their season will begin Nov. 6 where they’ll host the Laval Rouge et Or at Ed Meagher Arena.