Stingers 89, Martlets 52: Concordia dominates en route to season-opening victory

The veteran-filled roster looks poised to compete for the RSEQ title this season

SportsPeter Vryonis — Published November 12, 2021 3 minutes

The contest had just begun, and Concordia’s game plan was clear—defend with purpose, and use their quickness on offence. Third-year Stinger guard Areej Burgonio was wreaking havoc for McGill with her ball-handling and electrifying change of pace. She was getting to the rim at will in the initial frame, and was able to find her teammates on several occasions. She scored six points and dished out two assists in the first quarter.

“Areej is our firecracker,” said fifth-year Stinger Caroline Task, who scored 21 points in her season debut. “When [she] is on, we feed off of her a lot.”

The opening 10 minutes came to an end with the Stingers up 21-11. Their guards, Burgonio, Task, and Myriam Leclerc were able to get whatever they wanted on the offensive side of the ball with their crafty play styles. 

A few minutes into the second quarter, it was clear that the maroon and gold wanted the game more. They were getting to every loose ball first, and displaying defensive intensity that any head coach would marvel at. The Martlets were simply overmatched by Concordia’s physicality.

“[The point of emphasis] was to compete, set the tone early in the game on the defensive side of the ball, because that’s what we have the most control over,” said Gittens. “We gotta make sure to maintain our focus.”

The veteran Stingers opened up a sizable 26-point lead that they would carry into the halftime break. 

The third quarter was no different, as the Stingers ended it with a 72-42 advantage. Heading into the final frame, Concordia was an impressive 23-of-26 from the free-throw line—an 88 per cent conversion rate.

The game would finish in an 89-52 rout by the Concordia Stingers. There were many standout performances for the maroon and gold. Coralie Dumont was the team’s leading scorer with 27 points on a terrific 10-of-12 shooting. Dumont was also six of seven from the charity stripe, grabbed six rebounds, and stole the ball three times.

“I rely on [my guards],” said Dumont who had a lot of uncontested layups thanks to her great positioning and catches in traffic. “We want to be an aggressive team, we want our opponents to be scared of us because of our defense.”

Task also contributed to the win with her 21 points. She was 5-of-10 on her overall shooting, 3-of-5 from long distance, and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. The sharpshooter is the only fifth year player on the team with an embarrassment of riches in every other department.

“I know what the RSEQ looks like,” said Task. “As a veteran, I need to keep everyone composed.”

The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team will play their season opener at the Loyola Campus on Nov. 18. against the Bishop’s Gaiters. Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m.