McGill’s Men’s Basketball team currently finds itself at the bottom of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) standings. The conference is not a forgiving one, as it boasts two top teams: The Bishop’s University Gaiters, ranked second in the country, and the Université Laval Rouge et Or, who are not far from the top 10. McGill has had a rough go of things with a 2–13 record, but the Redbirds are a better team than their record would suggest, with plenty of hope for the future.
Over the weekend, the Redbirds played Laval in what was a familiar tale. The McGill team had a strong start to the fourth quarter, bringing the crowd to life. Excitement in the gym peaked after a thunderous dunk from Saransh Padhy who finished with a team-high 18 points, accounting for 60 per cent of the total output from McGill’s five starters. Laval responded with a scoring run of their own, taking a game that was once tied at 55 apiece and quickly building a double-digit lead. Letting close games slip away in the fourth quarter has been an issue all season for the Redbirds, who have lost six times by just 12 points or fewer. In modern basketball, a 12-point swing is fairly minor.
The Redbirds’ fourth-quarter struggles have not happened in a vacuum. McGill ranks last in points per game amongst the five RSEQ teams, with a measly 68 points. Looking across all of U SPORTS, only three teams in the country average fewer than 70 points on offence. At the same time, McGill surrenders around 80 points per game, which also puts them last in the RSEQ.
While the Redbirds have not exactly excelled this season when it comes to offensive efficiency, the metrics suggest they should not be a bottom-three offence in the country or the worst in the RSEQ. They sit third on the RSEQ standings for field goal and free throw percentage, while occupying fourth in three-point percentage. Their main issue has been the number of shots taken in comparison to their opponents. This discrepancy is a two-fold issue—the team is turning the ball over roughly four times per game more than opponents, while also being outrebounded by an average of nearly six rebounds per game. No matter how efficient you are, it is a tall task to win with 10 fewer possessions.
Rebounding issues were on full display against Laval, where the Redbirds were outrebounded 48-35 and lost the fourth quarter rebounding matchup by four points. McGill could not keep opposing big men off the glass late in the game, something that both extended Laval’s lead and ran the clock dry. The inability to pull in rebounds also led to several Laval free throws as McGill’s defence scrambled to get stops in the paint. McGill has players who can guard and force missed shots, but what happens before the shot goes up no longer matters with a forgone rebound.
Despite this season’s struggles, there should be plenty of optimism moving forward: It is clear that the Redbirds have plenty of talent and room to grow. Their entire roster has remaining eligibility next season, including the team’s two top scorers, Sean Duff and Padhy.
Duff has had a strong start at McGill, scoring in double figures in 13 of the 18 games he has played dating back to preseason. Meanwhile, Padhy has truly broken out. Last season, he averaged 7.5 points and 3.9 rebounds; this season, he is up to 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Padhy appears to be a safety valve on offence late in possessions, someone whose teammates can trust to make the best of a short shot clock. With so many returning players, Assistant Coach Martin Cassini sees a bright future for the team.
“I think some of our guys who have been here a couple years will be ready to step into leadership roles,” Cassini said.
He also highlights this year’s rookies as a bright spot in the team and a reason to be excited about the future.
“Our rookies this year have great work ethic and willingness to improve their game,” Cassini said.
