RECAP: #4 Gee-Gees fall to #1 Ravens in OUA men’s basketball semis

The Carleton Ravens got their revenge for the Capital Hoops Classic on Wednesday evening, topping the Gee-Gees men's basketball team 96-61 in the OUA semi-final at the Ravens Nest.

The Gee-Gees were without fifth-year guards Calvin Epistola and Sean Stoqua, who were both sat out due to injuries. Kevin Civil got the start at point guard, while Borys Minger and Dragan Stajic also saw increased minutes.

"We missed those two guys, but Carleton was ready and they were phenomenal tonight," said Gee-Gees men's basketball head coach James Derouin. "There was no let down by them when they found out Calvin and Sean weren't playing. They went right for our heart and they took it."

Stajic led the Gee-Gees with 15 points off the bench, while Charles-Antoine Gaba grabbed seven rebounds. Carleton had five players in double figures, including Alain Louis with 20 points.

The Ravens were in the driver's seat from the opening tip, earning the first points of the game and never looking back.  

Ottawa struggled to get out of first gear offensively, while Carleton was lethal, shooting at 69 per cent in the first half and nailing seven threes. Meanwhile, Ottawa was 0-for-8 from beyond the arc and trailed 52-27 after the first 20 minutes.

The dominance continued by the Ravens down the stretch, outscoring the Gee-Gees in every quarter. Ottawa finished strong with 20 fourth quarter points, but it was too late to catch their cross-town rivals. 

"A game like shows us what our weaknesses are and what didn't work," said Minger, a third-year guard. "It lets us know what we have to do if we face them again down the road. You have to look for positives even in a situation like this."

UP NEXT 

The Gee-Gees will advance to the U SPORTS Final 8 as the host team, their seeding will be set after all teams have qualified. The men's tournament commences on March 6 at TD Place. The Gee-Gees' first game will be Friday at 8 p.m.