Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos
The Algoma University Thunderbirds basketball programs opened their 2026–27 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) regular-season home schedule with a pair of weekend matchups at the George Leach Centre, welcoming the Laurentian Voyageurs on Thursday, November 5, followed by the York Lions on Saturday, November 7.
While both the women’s and men’s teams faced challenging competition over the two-game stretch, the Thunderbird men delivered an exciting 70–67 victory over Laurentian to secure their first win of the 2026–27 OUA men’s basketball season.
Women’s Basketball: Thunderbirds Fall to Laurentian and York
The Algoma women’s basketball team opened the weekend against the Laurentian Voyageurs on Thursday, November 5, falling by a 72–42 score at the George Leach Centre.
The Voyageurs held a 41–33 advantage at halftime before pulling away in the second half to earn the 30-point victory.
Cadence Pecore led Laurentian offensively with 21 points and six rebounds in 25 minutes of action. Alysaa Gvora added 12 points and five rebounds, while her sister Alexa Gvora also contributed 12 points.
For the Thunderbirds, Sadie Grawbarger of Garden River, Ontario, paced Algoma with nine points and two rebounds in 33 minutes. Neela Chanderdat finished with eight points and one rebound, while Benie Bambila contributed six points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Algoma returned to the court Saturday afternoon to face the York Lions, who came away with an 83–62 victory.
The Lions established a 51–40 halftime lead and maintained their offensive pressure throughout the second half to secure the 21-point win.
Ella Okubasu led York with an impressive 24-point performance, adding four rebounds in 26 minutes. Niamh Heath recorded 15 points and eight rebounds, while Katie Leudy and Gabby Di Pietro each finished with 11 points.
Justine Pierre led the Thunderbirds with 14 points and four rebounds in 26 minutes of action. Bambila continued her strong weekend on the boards, recording 12 points and eight rebounds in 33 minutes, while Maya Francisco added nine points.
Men’s Basketball: Thunderbirds Edge Voyageurs for First Season Victory
The Algoma men’s basketball team delivered one of the weekend’s highlights on Thursday, November 5, earning a hard-fought 70–67 victory over the Laurentian Voyageurs.
After trailing 41–33 at halftime, the Thunderbirds battled back in the second half, outscoring Laurentian over the final 20 minutes to complete the comeback and secure their first victory of the 2026–27 OUA men’s basketball season.
Logan Whitmell of Garden River, Ontario, led the Algoma offensive attack with 15 points and four rebounds in 22 minutes of action. Justin Grant of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, also contributed 15 points and four rebounds, while Kal-Eli Alejo added 13 points in 32 minutes.
For Laurentian, Brice Fandio led all scorers with 24 points and two rebounds in 32 minutes. Ahmad Cidi-Jalloh finished with nine points and nine rebounds, while Suber Bakal and Toby Ezenwa each contributed six points.
The Thunderbirds looked to carry that momentum into Saturday’s matchup against the York Lions, but the visitors handed Algoma a 92–75 setback.
Algoma started strong, taking a 45–37 advantage into halftime, but York responded in the second half to turn the deficit around and claim the 17-point victory.
Ladainian James led the Lions with 21 points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes. Burak Kurucay added 14 points and nine rebounds, while Nickele Harris finished with eight points and four rebounds.
Justin Grant paced Algoma with 15 points and six rebounds in 23 minutes of action. Kal-El Alejo contributed 10 points, while Jean-Luc Cubahiro also finished with 10 points and five rebounds. Elijah Quissua added 10 points and one rebound in 11 minutes.
Thunderbirds Head to Waterloo for Next Road Test
Following their opening weekend at the George Leach Centre, both Algoma Thunderbird basketball programs will now head south for a pair of OUA road matchups in Waterloo.
The Thunderbirds will take on the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks on Friday, November 13, before returning to the court Saturday, November 14, to face the Waterloo Warriors.
For the Algoma men, the victory over Laurentian provides an early-season building block as they continue their 2026–27 OUA campaign. Both programs will look to regroup and build momentum as they take their next steps on the road.
