By Micah Della Foresta — Staff Writer

Both Gaiter squads had early returns to practice in the midst of the holiday season. The women arrived on Dec. 27 to begin preparing for their 2023 RSEQ and national championship push, heading into the semester with an undefeated 6-0 league record and a second overall national ranking. 

The men arrived back on the same day but instead in Montreal, for two matches at L’Université du Québec à Montréal. They are set to play Lakehead University on Dec. 28, and the University of Calgary on Dec. 29. The Gaiters started off the Olga Hrycak Classic with a statement win, taking down Lakehead in a fast-paced game in which Bishop’s won by a score of 96-91. Through aggressive play and continuous intention to push the ball in transition, they were able to beat the #9 U Sports nationally ranked team at their own game. Tiernan McDougall led the way with a breakout performance, contributing a game-high of 25 points, doing so efficiently, in just 23 minutes of playing time. McDougall’s prowess was coupled with another strong performance from Rowan Halpenny, who provided pace and rim pressure, supplying the squad with 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Also notable was Charles-André Robert who had 15 points and 9 rebounds. 

The following day, the team matched up against the Calgary Dinos, a consistent contender in the Canada West, who were set to be a physical challenge for the Gaiters. The team found themselves in an early deficit, but were able to head into the second half with an even score of 36-36. It remained a close match throughout the last two quarters but the men ultimately succumbed to strong execution down the stretch by the Dinos, falling to a final score of 70-63 for Calgary. Étienne Gagnon had a career-high of 30 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 13-23 from the field. Ambs Mathé also contributed with 9 points and 6 rebounds.

The women had a productive winter camp, getting into the gym twice a day, incorporating consistent athletic development training with film sessions and technical meetings in preparation for a critical second semester for the team and the program. With five senior players, a 3-time First Team All-Canadian, Amaiquen Siciliano, two more All-Stars, Jael Kabunda and Victoria Gauna, as well as the reigning RSEQ defensive player of the year, Jennifer Louis, the women are in an incredible position to make a serious run in the second half of the season. They are poised to be serious contenders on the provincial and national stage. 

On Jan. 6, the team traveled to Québec City to face off against the Laval Rouge et Or who they had previously beat earlier in the season by a margin of 9 points. This time, they were set to start without integral player Victoria Gauna due to an injury. She has been averaging 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds thus far this season. Also out was Sandra Mbekou, who has been a consistent role player for the team. 

In a neck and neck, back and forth game, it all came down to a final shot for the Gaiters with only a few seconds left on the clock. A strong defensive possession by Laval and a miscommunication by Bishop’s would lead to Laval being able to close out the game and take down the Gaiters by only 1 point. The Gaiters were led by Amaiquen Siciliano with 20 points, a double-double from Jael Kabunda with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Katerina Stoupas who flirted with a double-double, pouring in 9 points and 13 boards. Associate Head Coach Rod Gilpin commented that: “our biggest concerns are getting our transition defense sorted out, and rebounding at both ends.” The team looks to take care of both and return to the hardwood strong and in full force after the bye week.

The men subsequently followed at 8 p.m. The Gaiters came out strong, leading the game by a score of 19-12 after the first period. The Rouge et Or responded accordingly, closing the lead and maintaining a close match for the rest of the way.

Despite Bishop’s grabbing 25 offensive rebounds, crucial mistakes in the clutch minutes from the Gaiters, including untimely fouls and turnovers, would result in the team failing to maintain the lead and fall to the opposing team by 3 points. Étienne Gagnon, the fourth highest rebounder in the country, proved again his dominance on the glass, obtaining 19 in the game alongside 19 points. Rowan Halpenny also went to work again with 19 points and 7 rebounds.

The team now sits at a record of 2-5 and is focused on continually developing the detail-oriented aspects of their systems that have proved to be critically important and defining so far in the 2022-23 season. 

Next up, the Gaiters will play Concordia University in a back-to-back series starting in Montreal on Thursday, Jan. 19. Their first home game of 2023 is Saturday, Jan. 21 in Mitchell Gym. The women’s game will start at 6 p.m. and the men will follow at 8 p.m.