Gee-Gees edge Axemen in OT, claim bronze

(OTTAWA, Ont.) – The Ottawa University Gee-Gees and the Acadia Axemen locked horns on Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Place, but unfortunately for both teams, they hit the court a few hours earlier than they would have liked.

The two teams were forced to face-off in the CIS men's basketball Final Eight bronze medal showdown after losing their respective semifinals the previous night, and it was the hometown team that came out on top.

Led by 23 points from rookie point guard Mehdi Tihani, the Gee-Gees rebounded from a lackluster opening half to claim a spot on the podium in a thrilling, back-and-forth contest that needed overtime to be decided.

Ultimately, Ottawa managed to come away with a 92-85 victory, winning a medal for the first time in program history.

"I wasn't sure how we were going to react, but by the time the third quarter came around I really wanted that bronze medal," Gee-Gees head coach James Derouin said. "You could tell by the way our guys celebrated how much this meant to them."

Given the quality of both teams, they could have easily been playing in the showpiece event later in the day – the national championship game.

Carleton Ravens head coach Dave Smart – who was recently named CIS coach of the year for the sixth time in his illustrious career – said on the opening day of the tournament that he believed the Axemen were the most talented team in the country.

 "Before there were any games played, Acadia was the number one team in the country in my mind," Smart said ahead of the semifinal contest between the two teams yesterday. "I still think talent-wise they're the best in the country."

As for the Gee-Gees, with star guard Warren Ward in full flight and a number of quality players alongside him, they came into the tournament as the third-ranked team.

Ottawa enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in program history, and were expected by many to make a first ever trip to the national final.

 "They're one of the best teams in the country," McGill head coach Dave DeAveiro said of Ottawa after the teams met in the quarter-final stage. "You don't want to play that team, they're very good right now and they have a great chance to win."

They backed up those words – in the second half – against the Axemen.

The game got feisty midway through the second half, as Owen Klassen got tangled with two Gee-Gees inside the paint while trying to grab an offensive rebound. A small scrum ensued, with Anthony Ashe and Ward jawing with one another as the officials sorted out the foul situation.

 "Watch yourself," Ward told Ashe multiple times.

The altercation seemed to ignite Ottawa. In particular, six-foot-seven forward Vikas Gill. The Stittsville, Ont., native was held scoreless in the first half, missing all six of his shots, but got hot in the third quarter with 12 points, all of which came from beyond-the-arc.

It was a common theme for the Gee-Gees on the day, as they took 37 shots from three-point range, knocking down 15 of those attempts.

 "I was okay with it, that's what we do," Derouin said. "Today, when we had a chance to get a three, we just let them fly."

Tihani took over the game in the extra frame, scoring six points, including two free throws late to put things beyond reach.

"He was unbelievable tonight," Derouin said.

Ward, playing in his last ever game with the team, was taken out with only seconds remaining, and got a rousing ovation from crowd.

Upon receiving their medals, the Gee-Gees huddled together in celebration.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the floor, the Axemen were forced to watch on in disappointment.

"I already want to play again. I could play tomorrow," Klassen said.

The Acadia star, who finished with a team-high 20 points, fouled out before the overtime period, and was forced to watch from the bench. While his teammates fought valiantly, it was simply too much to overcome without their main weapon on the floor.

"We've always done well in close games, over the last couple of years there's been a lot of games where I've fouled out in overtime, these guys don't quit when I foul out," he said.