Stingers point guard Kyle Desmarais knocked down one of two pressure cooker free-throws (missing the second one to run out the clock) with two seconds remaining in regulation to help the Concordia Stingers come from four points down at 65-61 with less than two minutes to play and defeat the Laval or Rouge et Or 66-65 and advance to the RSEQ Conference finals against the UQAM Citadins who defeated the Mgill Redmen 75-72.
The Rouge et Or blew the game by turning the rock over four times in the last two minutes and were whistled for a questionable call by the baseline official underneath the Concordia basket which put Kyle Desmarais at the free-throw line with the game knotted up at 65-65.
The Stingers stingy defense held Laval to just 14 points in the opening-quarter and to grab leads of 21-14 after one quarter and a 39-34 half-time advantage.
The Rouge et Or put the choke hold on the Stingers potent offense holding them to just 9 points over the third period and pulled ahead 54-47.
A 7-0 run to begin final period by Laval extended the lead to a game-high 59-47 as Concordia continue to struggle to get anything going in the half-court.
Evans Laroche the 2012 RSEQ BasketballBuzz Player-of-the-Year rose to the occasion and started the Stingers comeback by scoring the next seven points to cut the Laval deficit to single-digits at 59-54 with under seven minutes left as the packed house at BeeHive rose to their feet.
Evans Laroche lead the Stingers in the scoring department with 17 points and four rebounds.
Etienne Labrecque was the top marksmen for the Rouge et Or with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds.
RSEQ Boris Hadzimuratovic freshmen of the year was active in the backboards by pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds to along with 14 points.
Laval pounded the shorter Stingers on the glass to the tone of 63-39.
Both teams shot the poorly with Stingers shooting only 34.2% (27/79) and Laval 32.9% (23/70).
