CREDIT: FANSHAWE ATHLETICS
Fanshawe’s Gareth Edwards goes strong to the basket during OCAA basketball action.

Their season ended with a tough loss in the bronze semi-final match to the Algonquin Thunder. Fanshawe's men's basketball team, who dominated Ontario Colleges Athletic Association West Division throughout the year, ran into some trouble in the final few weeks of the regular season. Injury after injury held back key starting players. The Falcons managed to hang on to clinch third place in the West, after suffering four straight losses in the second half of their season. They gradually regained their momentum towards the end of the season and finished the regular season off by winning three straight games.

Their momentum, however, hit a speedbump with yet another injury. The men finished their quarter-final game against George Brown with a convincing win of 77-49, only to lose their star point guard and primary offensive driver Boyd Vassell to an ankle injury.

“It was really painful to end the season off like we did, we had a lot of potential, luckily Chevaun (Miller-Bennett) really stepped it up and tried to fill the offensive gap that we were missing in the semi-finals,” said forward Olaleye Ojo.

Boyd wouldn't return for their next game against Sheridan, nor would he return for the bronze medal semi-final match up against Algonquin. Without Boyd, there was an obvious offensive absence for which no one could replace. In the semi-final game against Sheridan (who would go on to win the OCAA championship), the Falcons were taken by surprise when Sheridan switched up their playing style to a full court press which ultimately led to the Falcons' early exit. The press put a lot of pressure on the Falcons, whose offense deteriorated quickly. It was a hard-fought match, and despite the loss of two key starters the Falcons managed to pull within 16 points of Sheridan to end the game with a 77-61 loss.

Ojo, an exchange student from Nigeria, was grateful to have had the ability to play this season with the team. “I came really late in the season, and the team was really great. We came together, and next year I'll be back and we will be better than ever and ready to take on Provincials again.”

Despite a disappointing end to a hot season, the men finished the regular season with a solid record of 14 wins and 6 losses. A great way to start off new head coach Tony Marcotullio's coaching career at Fanshawe.