Falcons Hold On to Win First Game of 2026

(London, ON) – The Fanshawe Falcons men's basketball team (5-5) opened the 2026 portion of their schedule Sunday afternoon at the Glenn Johnston Athletic Centre, hosting the Sheridan Bruins (6-4). Entering the game on a three-game winning streak, the Falcons kept the momentum rolling with a hard-fought 70-66 victory to extend their streak to four games.

Offence was slow to come for both teams early, with Sheridan holding a narrow 6-5 lead just over six minutes into the opening quarter. Fanshawe's game plan was clear, looking to push the pace and generate quick, easy offence in transition. The Birds found their rhythm late in the quarter and carried a 16-9 lead into the second.

Sheridan found its offensive stride in the second stanza, outscoring the Falcons 22-17 to trail by just two points, 33-31, at halftime. The Bruins continued to apply pressure in the third quarter, once again outscoring Fanshawe 22-16 to take a 53-49 lead into the final frame.

Sheridan opened the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run to extend its advantage to double digits, 59-49, prompting Falcons head coach Tony Marcotullio to call a timeout. The break sparked an immediate response from Fanshawe, as the Falcons quickly cut the deficit to three points coming out of the huddle.

Brandon Bogart (St. Thomas, ON) and Da'Marion Ennis (Windsor, ON) led the charge, combining for 18 of Fanshawe's 21 points in the fourth quarter. With under a minute remaining, Ennis finished a perfectly timed feed from Bogart at the rim to give the Falcons a two-point lead. He followed that up with another layup to extend the advantage, before Bogart sealed the win with a smooth mid-range jumper with nine seconds remaining.

Ennis finished with 21 points, five assists, and five rebounds on an efficient 10-of-13 shooting from the field, while Bogart led all scorers with 23 points to go along with nine assists and six rebounds. The dynamic guard duo fueled Fanshawe to a narrow 70-66 victory.

The Falcons return to action on Wednesday, January 14, with a road matchup against the Humber Hawks (9-1) who sit first in the OCAA West Division and are the third-ranked team nationally.

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