MONTREAL -- It was a night of upsets, unseen before in Quebec university men's basketball history, with the top two seeds being knocked off their pedestal, Wednesday, in the unforgiving sudden-death RSEQ semifinal format.

At Love Competition Hall, Frantson Demosthene registered a "double-double" as fourth-seeded UQAM rallied in the final quarter to defeat division-leading McGill 70-61. It was an upset that was perhaps foreseeable to some as the cross-town rivals had split their regular season four-game series, with UQAM holding the upper hand in points scored and rebounds. The result also marked the second time in as many post-season confrontations that the Citadins came away the victor, in the wake of five previous playoff eliminations to McGill.

Meanwhile, at the other end of town, third-seeded Bishop's surprised second-place Concordia, 78-71. As a result, the Gaiters will host UQAM in the Quebec league championship game on Saturday night, with the winner advancing to the Final Eight national championship tourney in Ottawa.

Despite missing their top scorer and first-team all-star Jamal Mayali -- who was a last-minute scratch due to a bout with the flu -- McGill started the game off strong. They led 15-11 after the opening quarter and took a 28-25 advantage into halftime, But UQAM responded by winning the third quarter 24-22 and narrowed the gap to 50-49, then dominated the final stanza 21-11. McGill was ahead 60-59 but UQAM took a one point-lead with five minutes remaining while on an 11-1 run down the stretch to steal victory from the jaws of defeat.
 
"I think everyone knows it's pretty obvious if we had Jamal we might be a little better but let us not get into 'what might have been the case' -- (We lost) to the better team," said McGill bench boss David DeAveiro, who was named just before tip-off as the Quebec conference coach of the year. "In the first half we took care of the ball, and in the second half, we didn't. They turned their defence up and we didn't know how to play. We didn't (try going through the) back door and we didn't keep them honest. They cranked it up to another level and we couldn't respond."
 
Levi Londole from LaSalle, Que., scored a game-high 16 points and pulled down eight rebounds for McGill. The 6-foot-8 junior forward, who was voted as a second-team all-star and the league's most outstanding defensive player, went 4-for-8 from the field, 8-for-12 from the free-throw line, and contributed both a block and a steal in 39 minutes on the court.
 
Other McGillians to reach double digits included Will Ramberg from Grand Marais, Minn, who scored a dozen points, while newly-minted first team all-star Quarry Whyne and JJ Hamel-Carey both registered 10 points apiece.
 
UQAM's offence was led by Schneiders Suffrard (14 pts), Alix Lochard (13), the aforementioned Demosthene (12) and Christopher Adu (10).
 
"We played our butts off today, we played really hard and left it on the floor. I am extremely proud of our kids, we've had a pretty good season. We lost to a really good team today, probably the best team in the league and they played like it today," added DeAveiro of his young squad that has no expected losses and was composed of five freshmen, five sophomores and six juniors.

McGill shot 33.3 per cent from the field (20/60), 13.6 from downtown (3/22) and went 18-for-27 from the free-throw line. The Citadins shot 47.3 per cent from the field (26/55), 36.8 from beyond the arc (7/19) and drained 11 of 20 from the charity stripe.

McGill concludes their 119th campaign with a 17-14 record overall, including 16-9 against Canadian university opponents and a 12-4 mark to clinch their seventh regular-season pennant in eight years.
 
"Our group overachieved to finish 12-4 in the lead and I think most people predicted us to finish third or fourth," said DeAveiro, whose lifetime collegiate record dropped to 409-264 in 19 seasons overall, including a 199-137 mark in 10 years at McGill. "Today we didn't quite have it down the stretch but we played well for three quarters, we were right there but just couldn't finish it.
 
"The teams are so well matched throughout our division, every game is going to be like this and the crowds make a difference. I think if you're a basketball fan and you want to see a close game, then you have to come watch the RSEQ (conference) because every game is going to be like this."

McGILL MURMURS: Joining David DeAveiro (coach of the year) and all-stars Jamal Mayali, Quarry Whyne and Levi Londole among the league laureates announced earlier in the day, was Cameron Elliot (all-rookie team) and team captain Sam Jenkins, who merited the leadership & community service award.
 
BOXSCORE