HALIFAX — It might not be the game they wanted to play, but for the four teams relegated to the consolation bracket at the U Sports men’s basketball national championship, the consolation semifinals on Saturday afternoon were must-win games.
UQAM battles through double overtime to beat Winnipeg
The Winnipeg Wesmen know a thing or two about playing overtime basketball.
In the Canada West quarterfinals, the Wesmen went to triple-overtime against the Brandon University Bobcats before pulling out a dramatic last-second win. They then carried that momentum into the conference semifinals, when they beat the first-place University of Manitoba Bison to book their first trip to nationals since 1994.
But the magic stopped on Saturday, when Winnipeg took the UQAM Citadins to double-overtime before ultimately losing 90-85 in the consolation semifinal.
It ends Winnipeg’s fairytale run to the final eight in Halifax. The Wesmen also lost 91-70 Friday to the uOttawa Gee-Gees in the quarterfinals.
“I was proud of their effort,” Winnipeg head coach Mike Raimbault said. “Yesterday was an emotional day and then to bounce back and play the early one here today, I thought our level of effort was where we wanted it to be.”
The good news for Raimbault is that Winnipeg has no fourth- or fifth-year players on the roster. Most players will return for another campaign next year and look to build off what was a “pretty special season” this year, he said.
“Each guy has to look individually and say, hey, who are the top players at my position in this tournament and what do I need to do to close the gap to get there?” Raimbault said. “Having eyes on those players is the best way to dig in and do some self-evaluation of the work that needs to be done.”
Guard Shawn Maranan led the Wesmen with 20 points in 49 minutes, while forward Mikhail Mikhailov had 19 points and 15 rebounds. UQAM forward Elie Karojo led both teams with 20 rebounds.
UQAM guard Bahaide Haidara, who scored only 12 points in the Citadins’ 73-71 loss to the Carleton Ravens on Friday, erupted for 31 points in 48 minutes in the consolation semifinal.
Despite playing 84 minutes in just over 24 hours, Haidara said it didn’t get to him.
“You want it so bad that the exhaustion doesn’t even come to your mind,” Haidara said.
He’ll have another quick turnaround for Sunday’s consolation final at 11 a.m. ET against the Queen’s Gaels.
Keefe’s big game powers Queen’s past UPEI
Queen’s head coach Stephan Barrie remembers the conversation clearly. He was sitting outside the university’s athletics building on a sunny afternoon, talking with forward Connor Keefe.
Barrie told Keefe he wanted him to be a leader of the team.
“I’m ready. I’m good. I want this,” Barrie remembers Keefe responding. “Thank you for the opportunity and I want this.”
That moment stood out after the Gaels defeated the UPEI Panthers 93-68 in the consolation semifinal on Saturday, a game in which Keefe led Queen’s with 16 points.
Now, as Keefe prepares to end his university basketball career Sunday in the consolation final against the Citadins, he is hopeful for the future of the Gaels.
“The future of the team looks really exciting,” said Keefe, who is the only player not returning next year, according to Barrie. “I like to think that I won’t be so easy to replace.”
Overall, Barrie said he was happy with the team’s response to a tough loss on Friday against the St. Francis Xavier X-Men.
“Don’t be entitled,” he told the players before Saturday’s game. “Understand the privilege that you have to go out and represent Queen’s in this game.”
The Gaels heeded that message, leading the Panthers by a wide margin throughout.
“I’m just pleased that our guys responded after what was an emotional, difficult moment last night,” Barrie said. “[We] had aspirations of winning a national championship come crashing down.”
On Sunday, Keefe will play in his final university game against the Citadins as the Queen’s look to finish fifth at nationals.
Featured image by L. Manuel Baechlin.
