RSEQ Recap: Desmarais leads Concordia past Bishop’s, McGill locks up top spot in division

One playoff game is set in stone in the RSEQ after Thursday night’s games. The other will featuring Concordia and Bishop’s, but it will come down to the final game of the regular season to decide who gets home court advantage in their semi-final contest.

McGill 71 Laval 70

Heading into their final meeting of the season with the Laval Rouge ET Or, the McGill Redmen knew they could’ve lock up top spot in the RSEQ standings, and ensure themselves of home court advantage in the playoffs.

On paper the game looked as though it would be a cakewalk for the Redmen playing the worst team in the division and a team who they had beaten soundly in their three previous meetings. The Redmen got the job done by the slimiest of margins, sweeping their four-game season series with the Rouge ET Or and clinching top stop in the RSEQ.

McGill led by as many as nine points, but bad free throw shooting  (59.3%) in the second half opened the door for the upset.

Te’Jour Riley led four Redmen in double digit scoring with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists. Vincent Dufort added a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Antoine Beaumier scored a game-high 19 points in the loss for Laval.

McGill will host UQAM on Wednesday February 27 in the RSEQ semi-finals.

Concordia 72 Bishop’s 63

In the other Thursday night contest, Concordia earned the right to control their own destiny after defeating the Bishop’s Gaiters by nine points.

The win brought the Stingers within two points of second place in the division, and if they are able to defeat Laval on February 23 they’ll grab the second seed away from Bishop’s as a result of winning the season series 3-1.

The Stingers were the hungrier team attacking loose balls, and dominating the rebounding battle 51-33.

Kyle Desmarais led all scorers with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Morgan Tajfel added 18 points and 12 rebounds in the victory for Concordia.

Bishop’s got solid bench production from Mike Andrews (ranked 47 in NPH Top 50) who had 14 points and 4 rebounds.

These two teams will do battle again on Wednesday February 27 in the RSEQ semi-finals, the site of the matchup will be determined after Concordia’s final game of the season on February 23.                                                                                                                                                    –