Martlets close strong, fall short
The Martlets’ wings failed to feed Anneth Him-Lazarenko down the stretch, and it came back to bite them as the UQAM Citadins rallied to upset number-one-seed McGill 89-88 in double overtime.
Him-Lazarenko leads the Quebec conference both in scoring, with a 15.6 points-per-game average, and field goal percentage, at 54.1 per cent. Still, throughout the game she got the ball on the block infrequently, and three of her six made baskets were off offensive rebounds. She finished with game with 14 points on 66.7 per cent shooting.
Shouldering the scoring load in crunch time were guards Natalie Larocque and Marie-Eve Martin with 11 and 18 points respectively.
Helene Bibeau was well on her way to a big game, with 16 points in only 17 minutes of playing time, before going down with what appeared to be an ankle injury with 1:13 to go in the third quarter.
“[It was a] small sprain, she’s fine,” said Head Coach Ryan Thorne. “She thinks [she’ll be back for the first game of the playoffs]. I haven’t really spoken to everyone yet so I’m not 100 per cent sure, but we think so.”
Her presence might have made the difference in a game that, despite looking like a mismatch on paper (the Martlets came into the game with a 13-2 record, while UQAM was 8-6), featured the two teams currently ranked first and second in the Quebec conference playing as if they were battling for the top spot.
McGill built a nice lead in the first, finishing the quarter up 21-13, but the Citadins stormed back in the second, tying the game at 26 apiece. The game was tight from there, as every McGill run was answered by sharp shooting from UQAM.
In overtime, UQAM built a five-point lead but Martin, who hit a buzzer-beating three-point winner at Laval on January 28, converted a four-point play with 1:30 remaining to pull McGill within one. UQAM answered with a jumper but Francoise Charest sent the game to double overtime with a clutch three-pointer.
In double OT, McGill centre Valerie L’Ecuyer fought to keep her team in the game, scoring the Martlets’ first four points, but the Citadins pulled away with incredible shooting from Karine Boudrias, who nailed consecutive three-pointers, one from well beyond the arc.
The Martlets showed championship mettle by rallying yet again, as Martin scored two three-pointers in the final 11 seconds, which, along with a bricked free throw by the Citadins, cut the Martlet deficit to a single point. With a second to go however, the Martlets weren’t able to defend the inbounds pass and the Citadins escaped with the victory.
Next, McGill will advance to face Laval in the Quebec semi-final game. The Martlets will need to find a better balance of inside and outside scoring against a long Laval frontline that includes Marie-Michelle Genois, the third most prolific rebounder in the CIS, who’s averaging 10.6 boards per game.
The game will be held at Love Competition Hall on March 2 at 7 p.m.
McGill’s own White Knight
2011’s seniors’ night might as well have been called “Michael White Night,” as the graduating fifth-year forward set the tone on both ends of the floor throughout a defensive, grind-it-out 64-61 McGill win over the visiting UQAM Citadins.
White finished with 11 points on five of seven shooting from the field, a three-pointer, and seven rebounds (three offensive). Fellow senior Kyle Bernard scored six points and had Redmen game-highs in offensive boards (four) and assists (two).
“When you have seniors you’ve got to rely on [them], especially down the stretch in games,” Head Coach David DeAveiro said. “When we needed a big shot today, Michael hit a big shot, when we needed a big rebound, Michael got a big rebound. He was just doing what seniors are supposed to do but I’m glad he did it tonight in his last home game.”
Of the Redmen, only Winn Clark, who scored five points and brought some much needed hustle off the bench, and Tristan Renaud-Tremblay, who scored 15 with a variety of smooth spin moves in the post, joined White in shooting over 50 per cent. The team as a whole was mired in a shooting slump, hitting 35.4 per cent for the game.
Both teams’ offences were particularly anaemic in the first half, shooting a combined 10 for 35 and registering 45 total points. McGill led 23-22 heading into the third quarter.
The Citadins were able to gain a five-point lead in the third but Simon Bibeau hit a late jumper to bring the Redmen within three (39-42) heading into the final stanza.
In the fourth, McGill was able to start scoring with more of their customary regularity and opened up a five-point lead with 12 seconds remaining off of two clutch free-throws by Karim Sy-Morissette.
However Sy-Morissette, a defensive leader, made a mistake on the ensuing possession that nearly proved costly. With less than 10 seconds on the clock, UQAM’s Thierry Justin induced Sy-Morissette to leave his feet with a pump-fake, created contact for the foul, and managed to chuck in an ugly three-pointer for the potential four-point-play. Justin hit the free throw to cut the McGill lead to one.
After a McGill timeout, the Redmen avoided a five-count on the inbound pass by getting the ball to big man Renaud-Tremblay, who had his defender sealed. Renaud-Tremblay, whose size gives him an advantage in catching inbounds passes, has improved his accuracy from the line as of late. He’s shooting 66.7 per cent on the season, but 80 percent over the last three games. He iced the game by hitting both free throws for the final margin.
McGill plays next at Laval on March 1 at 7 p.m. in the Quebec Semifinal.
