Head coach John Dore and the Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team will get a jump on the 2011-12 season with a couple of exhibition games versus NCAA Division I opponents in the coming weeks.
On Wednesday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m., the Stingers will host the University of Niagara Purple Eagles. The team based in Lewiston, N.Y. plays in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Niagara posted a 5-13 win-loss record in league play last season and an overall record of 9-23.
On Sunday, Sept. 11 at noon, the Gauchos from University of California, Santa Barbara, will be the opponents. Concordia is the only Montreal stop on their 10-day, five-game Eastern Canadian tour.
“These games will give us an early start on preparations for the season,” Dore says. “We’ll have a chance to get our veteran players together. Everybody is eligible to come back from last year’s team. So that’s a good nucleus to start with.”
The Stinger veterans will begin workouts on Saturday and will get in seven training sessions before the game on Wednesday.
Only returning players will play versus Niagara with the exception of Jerome Blake, the highly skilled guard out of Vanier College. He was the MVP at the CEGEP AAA provincials and the Canadian College Athletic Association national championship in 2011.
Last season, the Stingers finished first in the Quebec conference with a 12-4 record. The team went onto win the league championship with a 77-67 win over the Laval Rouge et Or.
“We should be the favorites again since we won last year,” Dore says.
Tickets for each of the pre-season games are $7 for adults, $5 for students and $3 for Concordia students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the athletic complex reception desk on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. and on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the events office. The Concordia athletic facilities are located at 7200 Sherbrooke St. W. Ticket info: 514-848-2424, ext. 3898.
