2019 MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP 2019 U SPORTS MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Concordia Stingers Men’s Basketball 2018-19 Synopsis Under the guidance of head coach Rastko Sixteen different Stinger players had minutes in the RSEQ regular season. Six were rookies and 10 were returning Popovic, the 2018-19 Concordia Stingers players. The result was a tight-knit team with an excep- men’s basketball team ran up an overall tional aitude. win-loss record of 20-13 and spent six “We have a good mix of young players and older guys,” said weeks in the U SPORTS Top 10, Popovic. “This year the team chemistry is amazing. This is a peaking at No. 8. very unselfish group. They are just happy for each other’s success. It doesn’t maer who scores and what the The Stingers won their first Quebec championship in seven minutes are. And we’ve shown that different guys step up in years with a strong 73-69 victory over the UQAM Citadins different games.” before a capacity crowd at Concordia Gym on March 2. The Stingers led the game right from the sta and never lost Concordia had three of the top five scorers in the RSEQ – the lead. They were up 27-21 at halime and 48-43 aer shooting guard Adrian Armstrong was second in the three quaers. conference with 16.4 points a game, while point guard Ricardo Monge was fouh with 15.5 and forward Olivier “I thought we executed our game plan well at both ends of Simon was fih with 14.8. the cou,” said Popovic. “We defended well, we rebounded the ball very well and our top players stepped up when it The Stingers had the top scoring offence in the RSEQ with was time to make big plays.” an average of 80.2 points over 16 games. Concordia also knocked off the pesky Bishop’s Gaiters by a “Ricardo Monge controls the game and we execute very score of 79-71 in the conference semifinal on Feb. 27. well on offence,” said Popovic. “We’re a good three-point shooting team. We share the ball and are a good passing This is the 21st conference title for the Stingers since team.” Concordia University was formed 45 years ago. It is the first for Popovic who took over as head coach of the On defence, Concordia gave up 75.2 points a game which program in 2015. The team also won the regular season ranked them second in the Quebec conference. title with an 11-5 record. In 26 games versus U SPORTS competition, the Stingers Concordia ran up a 17-9 record against U SPORTS competi- gave up 73.8 points on average which is the ninth best tion, including one tournament title – the Concordia result out of the 47 teams in the country. Classic – last October. “Defensively, we’re a tough team,” Popovic said. The Stingers spent pa of the preseason baling NCAA teams, including Ole Miss and University of Vermont. Then Since this is Concordia’s first U SPORTS championship over the holiday beak, Concordia travelled to Florida and appearance since 2012, Popovic heads to Halifax with a played three NAIA programs. The team compiled a 3-4 team of players who have no experience at the nationals. record versus U.S. schools. But his coaching staff can compensate – Jay Prosper (1996), Damian Buckley (2007 and 2009) and Popovic Another season highlight was scrimmaging against (2005), all won championships as Stingers and competed Canada’s Senior National Team in September. It was put at the university Final 8. together to help Canada prepare for its FIBA qualification event. The national team roster featured six NBA players. STINGERS.CA 2019 U SPORTS MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Concordia Stingers Men’s Basketball 2019 RSEQ Finalists Quick Facts Head coach: Rastko Popovic (4th year) 1976- Present Concordia CIAU/CIS results at Nationals: 2018-19 Ranking: 6 weeks in Top 10, 1976 1-2 6th place peaking at No. 8 1980 1-2 6th place 2019 team overall record: 20-13 1981 2-1 bronze medal Concordia 82, St. FX 65 1982 1-2 4th place U SPORTS 1987 0-2 non-conference record: 4-4 1989 1-2 6th place U.S. Exhibition record: 3-4 1990 3-0 gold medal Concordia 80, Guelph 62 1991 0-2 Regular season record: 11-5 1992 0-2 1993 1-1 lost semifinal McMaster 84, Concordia 83 Playoff record: 2-0 1994 1-2 6th place Regular season standing: 1st Place in RSEQ 1995 2-1 silver medal Albea 84, Concordia 66 1996 1-2 6th place Playoff finish: RSEQ champions 2000 0-2 2018-19 results versus 2005 2-1 silver medal Carleton 68, Concordia 48 teams at Nationals: Record 0-1 2007 2-1 won consolation Concordia 95, UBC 92 Oct. 14 – Carleton 2009 1-2 6th place Loss 92-62 2011 0-2 2012 0-2 19 appearances 19-31 record 1 national championship U SPORTS championship, sequence: 1st in 7 years 2019 conference award winners: RSEQ MVP – Ricardo Monge RSEQ Coach of the Year – Rastko Popovic 2019 conference all-stars: G Ricardo Monge – 1st team G Adrian Armstrong – 1st team F Olivier Simon – 2nd team 2019 all-rookie team: F Aleks Simeunovic STINGERS.CA 2019 U SPORTS MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Concordia Stingers Men’s Basketball 2019 Roster NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. YR. COURSE OF STUDY HOMETOWN LAST TEAM 4 Tariq Bakri-Hamad G 5'10" 150 1 Math and Stats Mississauga, Ont. Central Tech School 5 Akim Olak G 6'2" 185 1 Biochemistry Barrie, Ont. London Basketball Academy 6 Anthony Sanogo G 6'2" 170 2 Ce. Science and Tech Montreal Cégep Édouard-Montpetit 7 Garry Merisier F 6'1" 210 5 Philosophy Laval, Que. Cégep Édouard-Montpetit 8 Cedrick Bryan Coriolan G 5'11" 180 4 Applied Human Science Laval, Que. Cégep Édouard-Montpetit 9 Michel Hakizimana F/C 6'6" 175 2 Independent Studies Gatineau, Que. Theord Academy 10 Tristan Huon G 6'1" 166 1 Ce. As and Science Montreal James Lyng High School 11 Ricardo Monge G 6'0" 185 5 MSc Finance Gatineau, Que. John Abbo College 12 Adrian Armstrong G 5'11" 170 4 Urban Studies London, Ont. Dawson College 13 Samuel Lessard F 6'3" 185 1 Ce. As and Science Laval, Que. Collège Montmorency 14 Oge Nwoko G 6'2" 205 2 Sociology Mississauga, Ont. St. Joseph SS 15 Olivier Simon F 6'7" 215 3 Applied Human Science Terrebonne, Que. Cégep Édouard-Montpetit 20 Aleks Simeunovic F 6'7" 210 1 Economics Niagara Falls, Ont. Impact Academy (Prep) 21 Nathaniel Boisve G 6'0" 175 1 Economics Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Que. Champlain, Lennoxville 22 Mahis Guérut F/C 6'7" 208 2 Ce. Science Foundations Paris, France Cégep de Theord 24 Sami Ghandour F 6'6" 220 3 Finance Fergus, Ont. Lebanese National Team RS Ayomide Sam Durowaiye-Herbe G 6'0" 160 1 Civil Engineering Montreal Marianopolis College RS Maxime Bellony G 6'0" 172 1 Independent Studies Montreal Cégep de Theord RS Leo Toussaint G 6'0" 192 1 Ce. Science Foundations Lachine, Que. Cité des Jeunes Head Coach Rastko Popovic Athletic Therapist Sean Christensen Assistant Coaches Damian Buckley, Dwight Walton, Jay Prosper Student Therapists Zachary Sage, Shayne Vording Team Manager/Analytics Tad Norkis Videographer Chris Shee Concordia Stingers Men’s Basketball 2018-19 STINGERS.CA 2019 U SPORTS MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Concordia Stingers Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rastko Popovic was introduced as the head coach of the Concordia Stingers men's basketball team on April 22, 2015. He is the third head coach in the history of the Concordia In 2012 he was named head coach of Quebec's 15-and-under girls program. He replaced John Dore who announced his program and went on to win a silver medal at nationals. In 2015 he retirement aer 26 seasons (1989-2015). Doug Daigneault was the head coach of the Quebec 15-and-under boys team. served 14 years with the Stingers (1975-1989). Popovic was an exceptional shooting guard with the Concordia This season, Popovic earned his first conference Coach of the Year men's basketball program from 2001 through 2006. It was an honours. exciting era for the Stingers that saw the team win a silver medal at the CIS championship in 2005 and take on many of the top His win-loss record in the RSEQ is currently 43-21. Versus U SPORTS NCAA teams, including Duke and University of Connecticut. opponents it stands at 68-45. Previously he played at Cégep de Sherbrooke. In 2001 he was an Popovic began his university coaching career as an assistant with all-star and the second leading scorer in the CEGEP AAA league. the Stingers women's basketball team in 2006. He moved to the He staed his basketball career at École secondaire de l'Île in Concordia men's team in 2013 and was instrumental in bringing in Gatineau, Que. key recruits. Popovic graduated from Concordia in 2005 with a BComm, Popovic staed his coaching career in 2003 at École Secondaire major in Marketing. Saint-Laurent. As head coach of the high school's midget girls team from 2006-11, he won three AA provincial championships and two AAA titles in the Montreal Basketball League. STINGERS.CA 2019 U SPORTS MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Concordia Stingers Men’s Basketball Assistant Coaches Damian Buckley Damian Buckley, one of the most accomplished athletes in Concordia University history, joined the Stingers men’s basketball team as an assistant coach in 2015.