After a promising start, the 2008-09 McGill Redmen men's basketball season proved to be just as disappointing as the previous year's. Coming into the season, Head Coach Craig Norman stressed the importance of teamwork, commitment, and resilience, all of which had been fortified by intense team workouts during the summer. Like the numbers in the win column, though, each of these three principles petered out over the course of the year.
McGill looked downright scary in preseason play, mixing an intense, swarming brand of defense with good communication and reliable three-point shooting. The team lost a close contest to a Kansas Jayhawks squad featuring two potential NBA draft picks, and picked up an impressive win a day later against the Virginia Cavaliers. Wins over Toronto, Western Ontario, and Ottawa garnered the Redmen a spot in the CIS top-10 national rankings, and the spirits of players and fans alike were high entering conference play. Unfortunately, the Redmen couldn't keep it up: they opened the QSSF season with a 103-91 victory over Bishop's, but lost their next five league games, placing the squad in a hole it could never dig its way out of.
McGill limped into the postseason as a fourth-seed, only to lose by 17 points to cross-town rival Concordia in their QSSF semifinal. Considering the talent on display early in the year, another first round exit was a disappointment. McGill was once again led by forward Sean Anthony and guard Moustafa El-Zanaty, both of whom are graduating this year. Anthony averaged 15.8 points per game to go along with 7.7 boards, while El-Zanaty led the conference in scoring at 23.8 points a contest, but somehow failed to win a spot on the QSSF first team All-Star squad.
The lack of a true post presence hurt the Redmen throughout the season, as the squad was forced to live and die by the jump shot. Forward Michael White made significant strides in his offensive game this year, and will be asked to shoulder much of the scoring load next season, along with guard Matt Thornhill. Another highlight this season was the court savvy and passing ability shown by 6'5" freshman Nick Nishikawa, who will play a much larger role next year.
While the Redmen may have underachieved this season, the departure of El Zanaty, Anthony, and forward Erik Galas will hopefully allow other players to develop and thrive. Norman has a sizeable task ahead of him, but with a solid recruiting class and another grueling summer regimen, the Redmen have a chance to quiet the doubters next year.
Final record: 16-17 (5-11)
MVP: Moustafa El-Zanaty
Player to Watch: Nick Nishikawa
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