NPH CIS Team Previews: Bishop’s Gaiters
The Gaiters were built to win their conference on home court last season. They did and now they rebuild.
Head coach: Rod Gilpin
Record in 2014: 8-8 (Third in RSEQ)
Playoffs: Quebec champions; 0-2 at CIS Final 8
Points scored per game: 69.1
Points allowed per game: 65.5
Key players: Jona Bermillo, David Belanger, Pete Weston, Nick Harvey
Key losses: Kyle Desmarais, Mike Andrews, Majid Naji, Matt McLean
Schedule breakdown:
The Bishop’s Gaiters are unique in Quebec, being the only team that plays on a truly university town. When you play against one another as often as you do in the RSEQ, every advantage counts; Bishop’s certainly has fan support. Head coach Rod Gilpin says that fans pushed his team over the top at the Final Four a year ago, held on the Lennoxville campus.
“Our fans are second to none,” he says. “It’s an experience they’ll never forget.”
Key games: at UQAM Citadins, January 7; VS UQAM Citadins, January 8
VS Laval Rouge et Or, January 22; at at Laval Rouge et Or, January 23
CBG’s take:
Bishop’s hosted last year’s Final Four on its Lennoxville campus and had been assembled with that in mind. Gaiters head coach Rod Gilpin tells NPH that the team peaked at just the right time last season, which included a classic battle against Ottawa, nearly knocking the Gee-Gees out of championship contention.
“They turned it on at the end. Our best 10 practices of the year,” he says, “were our last 10 practices.”
Likewise this season, the Gaiters may very well perform better as the season progresses and as they play more games. You see, this Bishop’s team is about as young as last year’s was old.
“We have a team that can be special, but we might not be there this year,” Gilpin says. “It’s a matter of trying to win in the future and not sacrificing everything to win tomorrow.”
One constant for the right now will be the Bishop’s home court advantage. Gilpin, thinking back to last year’s championship, explains that, “There’s no better place to win than here.”
