MARTLET BASKETBALL

The Martlets finished their 2014-2015 campaign with a silver medal and a near perfect 15-1 RSEQ record. With nine of the team’s 14 players returning, an undefeated regular season and a CIS National Championship are certainly not out of the question. In their four pre-season CIS games this year, the Martlets are a perfect 4-0, outscoring their opponents by 18 points per game. While their defence and rebounding has remained stout so far this year, they’ve continued to struggle with turnovers, an issue that plagued the team last year. If Coach Ryan Thorne can tighten up the ball-handling and passing, the sky’s the limit for this team.

REDMEN BASKETBALL

Last season was a disappointment for the Redmen. After consecutive RSEQ Championships, the Redmen watched as the Bishop’s Gaiters hoisted the 2014-2015 title. This season, McGill looks poised to bounce back. The Redmen are 6-1 in their seven pre-season games this year, including a weekend victory in the nation’s capital over the No. 2 ranked Ottawa Gee-Gees.

“This weekend showed us that we’re among the best programs in the country,” junior forward Michael Peterkin said. “We have the ability do something very special this season.”

With their core remaining almost entirely intact for another season, the Redmen look poised to finally prove they’re not just a big fish in the RSEQ pond, but also a force to be reckoned with on the national stage. Certainly anything less than an RSEQ championship and a CIS playoff berth will be seen as a failure for McGill.