 Media Credit: Niki Hyde Moustafa El Zanaty (32) and Neil Ze Mbo (25) battle for a rebound. Both teams made rebounding a priority. [Click to enlarge]
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For the first two-thirds of the season, it seemed like every time the McGill Redmen basketball team would take a step forward in the QSSF, a step backward would follow. Coming into last weekend, McGill had won the first leg in three of their five back-to-back series against Quebec opponents, but had never won the second game. That dubious habit came to a crashing halt on Saturday night, as the Redmen squeaked out a 86-78 victory over the UQAM Citadins at CEPSUM on the Citadins' downtown campus.
The Redmen benefited from a day of rest between their two games against UQAM-McGill beat the Citadins 66-62 at home on Thursday night before heading to UQAM's Sport Centre on Saturday night. The Friday day off was their first this season.
"It's a huge win for us," said McGill Head Coach Craig Norman. "We've had a tough time in the conference winning back-to-back games. It's tough coming back for a second game, but the day off helped tremendously. Our guys were a bit more focussed, and our bench players were tremendous. We cut down the starters' minutes a bit, and the bench guys really responded."
McGill's Sean Anthony and Pawel Herra-both of whom have usually been on the floor for the opening tip-began Saturday night on the bench. And though he started, forward Michael White played only 13 minutes due to a sore back. This season, those three players have combined to average 30 points and 19 rebounds a game, but the trio managed only 19 points and 12 rebounds (White grabbed nine of them) on Saturday night.
Nicholas Nishikawa, who started in the frontcourt alongside White, may have emerged as Norman's most talented freshman with his performance on Saturday night. The first-year forward made all three of his field goals en route to notching eight points, seven rebounds, and five assists. With 35 minutes of playing time in a close game, he has earned Norman's trust.
"Nishikawa was unbelievable," said Norman. "The poise he showed, and the way he passes the ball, is unbelievable for a first-year kid. He was a huge, huge part, considering Michael White was down with an injury."
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