Highlight Reel: March 7
The Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) men’s basketball final eight tournament got underway Friday night at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. The number-one-seeded Gee-Gees kicked off their quest for gold with a 94–73 victory over the eighth-seeded wildcard Saskatchewan Huskies in the quarterfinal of Canada’s biggest collegiate basketball event of the year.
It was a tale of two games for the Gee-Gees, as the first half showcased the Huskies’ fight as well as some jitters from the Gees while the second was the complete reverse. There was only a three-point difference at halftime, followed by the Huskies taking the lead before the game turned back into the hands of the Gee-Gees. After the flipped lead, there was no looking back with a massive 27–14 fourth quarter from the Gees to close out the game.
As expected, superstars Terry Thomas and Johnny Berhanemeskel once again led the U of O squad on Friday. Thomas was deemed the player of the game with an impressive 24 points, nine rebounds, five steals, and three assists, while Berhanemeskel added 20 points and seven assists on the night.
“It was really fun to be a part of,” said third-year forward Vikas Gill. “This was step one of our three-step goal, so it felt good to get step one done.”
The possibility is still strong that the Gee-Gees will be able to achieve their three-step golden goal. They’ll take on the fourth-seeded Victoria Vikes on Saturday night in the semifinal, and a win would guarantee either a gold or silver medal in Sunday’s final.
Tipoff for the semifinal match will be at 8 p.m. on Saturday at the Canadian Tire Centre.
