Jonny Roach – Staff Writer

The Bishop’s Men’s Basketball team has continued their reign over the RSEQ in 2026 with a record of 4-1 in the new year. Despite a tight loss to Laval to end their exuberant six-game winning streak that began in November, the Gaiters picked up two huge bounce-back victories against l’Université du Québec à Montréal.

Image courtesy of Annie White

On Jan. 17, the Gaiter’s travelled to the island of Laval to face the Laval Rouge et Or for their third regular season meeting. The Rouge et Or were able to take advantage of a slow start offensively from BU to get a 22-14 leg up in the first quarter, Etienne Gagnon’s early ten points keeping the lights on for the Gaiters. Following the slow opening period, the offence was able to find a better rhythm together, but Laval kept the pressure on and improved their lead to 46-37 coming into the break. After a chance to regroup at the half, the Gaiters upped the effort on both ends to win the quarter 26-20 despite continued struggles connecting on three-point attempts. Down only 66-63, the game was in the balance for one final stanza, but the purple and silver would inevitably fall short 81-79 in a game decided by a couple of bounces.

The Bishop’s coaches ran a short 8-player rotation in the affair, giving four Gaiters over 30 minutes of tough action. Forwards Etienne Gagnon (24 points, 13 rebounds), Yanis Malanda (22 points, 5 rebounds), and Charles Robert (15 points, 6 rebounds) led the scoring and rebounding effort for the team.

In search of more winning, the Gaiters paid their next visit to UQAM on Jan. 24, the strategy was adjusted to lean into the depth of this squad and find the outside stroke that lacked in the second loss of the season. Right out the gate the purple and white were red hot from three-point territory to lead the Citadins 23-22 after ten minutes. The offensive outburst continued in the second quarter to extend the Bishop’s lead to 45-36. It was much of the same in quarter three as the Gaiters buckled down even more on defence to improve to 68-47 before the fourth frame. The last quarter of action saw the Gaiters close out the Citadins to end the contest victoriously, 86-62.

The story of this contest was the Gaiters’ 13/32 shooting from beyond the arc, 56 rebounds and 24 assists as a unit to remind everyone that this team can beat opponents in many ways. Charles Robert did his best impression of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, tallying 16 points and ten assists to lead the way offensively.

The men returned home on Jan. 24, to a sea of pink in support of ‘Shoot for the Cure’, a pink-themed USports fundraising partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research. The Gaiters would play the Citadins again, this time in a spirited Mitchell Gymnasium that would certainly sway the outcome. UQAM struck first in the opening quarter with a 20-16 lead, but the pressure of an enthusiastic environment can only be sustained for so long. On the heels of a 10-point quarter from forward Charles Robert, the Gaiters responded to take a 38-35 lead entering the midway point. The second half was a total fire fest from Bishop’s offensively, scoring a whopping 29 points in both the third and fourth frames to UQAM’s 25 points in the half, to emerge victoriously, 96-60. Charles Robert led all scorers with 22 points and seven rebounds, while six Gaiters recorded 8+ points in the high-scoring outing. 

The Gaiters remaining regular season home games are on Thursday, Feb. 5, against McGill, before hosting the UQAM Citadins once more on Saturday, Feb. 14, so make sure to get out and cheer for your Gaiters as they push toward playoffs!