The Gérald Godin men’s “Gladiators” basketball team opened their home 2012 semester with a resounding victory over Valleyfield. The visitors playing with a very short bench and having lost five starters due to graduations fell behind by close to twenty points at the end of two periods and just simply ran out of gas. Olivier Poirier set the tone for the new look Gladiators when at the opening jump off he had a steal and produced the opening two points with just 3 seconds on the clock. Starring for the locals in the first two periods were Vincent Jalbert Murray with 11 points and Marc Olivier Jean with 13. Jihad Berraja had 7 rebounds and 1 steal and was instrumental as the quarter back who continually head manned the ball to the streaking Poirier and Jean. With a comfortable half time lead Gladiators’ Oliver Poirier came off the bench to steal the show in the third period and accounted for 9 points. Highlighting the play for the Gladiators in this game was the work of newcomers Paul-Marc Girard and Amin Tran. Girard, coming into the game in the second half had five rebounds and scored five points while Tran was equally effective. However it was their play along with that of veterans Rodney Antoine Bellamy and Antoine Laverdière that transformed the look of the new and improved Gladiators. Gone were the soft hands looking for rebounds and in was determination and superior effort to keep the ball in Gladiators possession. Hats off to first-semester coach, now player Alain Angibeau who contributed his fair share of points during the night and brought new life to his team. Said Jalbert-Murray and Poirier following the match. “The team spirit is better. We have finally bonded as a team and it shows”.
Girard-Jalbert and Murray-Poirier propel Gladiators to win
Paul-Marc Girard, an impressive Gladiators' rookie. Photo by Team Thunder.
-
-
Published on
February 8, 2012
- Published on February 8, 2012
-
Le Sport avec Thunder !
The West Island Chronicle
- Rate
- Top of the page
