In early October last year, the Bishop's Gaiters from Lennoxville, Que., handed the University of Victoria Vikes men's basketball team a demoralizing loss at the Carleton Invitational tournament in Ottawa.
Vikes' coach Craig Beau-camp said that loss helped his team to get on track for the sa国际传媒 West season. The Vikes responded to that loss by winning the Pacific Division with a 14-4 record.
On Thursday at McKinnon Gym, the Gaiters outscored UVic 18-6 in the fourth quarter to win the pre-season contest 59-52.
"Obviously, we have some issues with this team,'' said Beaucamp after a lengthy meeting with his team. "We are really struggling to find our identity and until we do that, we will not be a very good basketball team. We are struggling with leadership on and off the court. We have to be better and we will.
"We lost an ugly game to Bishop's last year and that seemed to turn our season around. You have to give Bishop's a lot of credit for a very gritty performance.''
Both teams were very sloppy in the first half and Bishop's held a 32-30 lead starting the second half.
In the final 20 minutes, there was a parade to the foul line and both teams went long stretches without a basket. With 5: 51 remaining in the game, the Vikes scored their last basket and only one more point the rest of the way.
The teams were tied 51-51 with four minutes remaining and then the Gaiters did an excellent job of rebounding and creating turnovers.
"That was a classic heartbreak type of game,'' said UVic veteran Chris McLaughlin. "We put the pressure on them in the third quarter but then we let them take over in the fourth. Bishop's got all the key rebounds and that killed any momentum we had.
"We just have to keep working hard and improve. The only way for us to go is forward.''
The Vikes did have 37 rebounds to 30 for the Gaiters but Bishop's was able to get the ball at all the critical times.
Terrell Evans paced the Vikes with 16 points, while McLaughlin added 12. The Vikes were held to only seven field goals in the second half.
Jeremy Leonard-Smith sparked the Gaiters with 16 points.
The Vikes turned the ball over 22 times, including six by rookie point guard Kyle Peterson from Edmonton.
The Gaiters continue their swing through sa国际传媒 tonight with a game against the UBC Thunderbirds at War Memorial Gym.
The next exhibition game for the Vikes is Oct. 12 against the Seattle Mountaineers, a semi-pro team.
The women Vikes also play Oct. 12 against UBC-Okanagan. The women's contest goes at 6 p.m., followed by the men at 8 p.m. Both games are at McKinnon. [email protected]
