Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos
The Algoma Thunderbird women’s and men’s basketball programs hit the road over the January 16th and 17th weekend in search of their first victories of the 2025–2026 OUA season, opening the trip in North Bay against the Nipissing Lakers on Friday before heading to Sudbury on Saturday to face the Laurentian Voyageurs.
On the women’s side, Algoma opened the weekend with a tough matchup against the Nipissing Lakers on Friday, January 16th, falling 71–35 in North Bay. Sadie Grawbarger logged 36 minutes, pulling down seven rebounds while scoring six points. Annabelle Lefebvre added six points and five rebounds in 27 minutes of action, while Bernadette Maranan chipped in seven points. Taylor Randall led the Thunderbirds in scoring with ten points to go along with three rebounds. The women were back on the court Saturday, January 17th in Sudbury, where they were defeated 73–48 by the Laurentian Voyageurs. Grawbarger delivered a strong performance, playing 38 minutes and posting a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Brooke Gruhn added 12 points and five rebounds in 40 minutes, while Mercedes Mazzuca contributed ten points off the bench.
The men’s program opened their weekend Friday night in North Bay with an 81–72 loss to the Nipissing Lakers. Kal-El Alejo led Algoma with 20 points in 32 minutes, while Jean-Luc Cubahiro and Oliver Kristoffersen each scored 11 points. Chance Beaudoin-Skerritt and Biong Deng both added eight points in the effort. On Saturday in Sudbury, the Thunderbirds bounced back in a big way, earning their first win of the season with a 76–71 victory over the Laurentian Voyageurs. Alejo had a standout performance, pouring in 27 points in 36 minutes, while Cubahiro recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Logan Whitmell and Kristoffersen each added 13 points as Algoma closed out the road trip on a high note.
Both Thunderbird programs will now prepare for another challenging road swing, travelling to Kingston on January 23rd to face Queen’s Gaels (women at 2:00 p.m., men at 4:00 p.m.), followed by a stop in Oshawa on January 24th to take on the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks (women at 4:00 p.m., men at 6:00 p.m.).
