Women’s Basketball
9th in CCAA; 1st in OCAA West (6-1)
Fanshawe Falcons player Mikhaila Wright elevating for a pass against the Lambton Lions.
Courtesy: Matt Hiscox
Fanshawe’s women’s basketball team is among the best in the OCAA. The Falcons currently lead the OCAA West Division with a 6-1 record, winning their past three games in a row.
They have the second-highest scoring offence in the league, averaging 83 points per game. The Falcons lead the province in three-point percentage, hitting 37.9 percent of shots beyond the arc. They also average about 10 three-pointers per game, also leading the OCAA. This all comes when Fanshawe leads the league in assists per game, with the team averaging around 20 per game.
On the other side of the ball, they have also been stout defensively. Opponents average just 29 per cent field goal shooting against the Falcons – the lowest in the OCAA. The Falcons only give up 58.3 points per game to their opponents. Their 34 defensive rebounds per game are the second-most in the OCAA, and they also average nearly six blocks per game.
The Falcons’ success comes as a fairly young team. Although their leading scorer Chuot Angou leads the team in scoring (16 PPG), she does so while averaging around 25 minutes of court time per game. Despite that, Angou ranks third in the OCAA in three points made per game, and third in three-point percentage (among those who take at least three shots per game).
Natalie Warren ranks eighth in the OCAA in field goal percentage. She averages over 13 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game. She also ranks second in the province in free throw percentage at 93 per cent.
Nine of the 14 members of the Falcons women’s basketball team are in their first or second year of eligibility. That said, four of their five usual starters (Chuot Angou, Mikhaila Wright, Natalie Warren, Sydney Kendellen) do not fall in that category. Almost every other member of the team averages over 10 minutes of court time per game.
The mix of veterans and young players have the women’s basketball team as a serious threat to repeat as OCAA champions. Their top players live up to everything they’re touted to be. Their young players have been impressive in the opportunities that they are given. A defensively-focussed team who has the ability to bury opponents at the three-point line will be a tough out in a tightly-contested OCAA women’s basketball scene.
Next game: November 23rd, 6 pm at Sault College – Sault Ste. Marie
Men’s Basketball
3rd in OCAA West (6-2)
The Fanshawe Falcons men’s basketball team is one of the hottest in the province right now. They have won their past five games in a row, with a different team strength being showcased every game.
The Fanshawe Falcons bench celebrates during a game against the Lambton Lions.
Courtesy: Matt Hiscox
The Falcons find themselves in tight games due to a high-scoring offence and occasionally porous defence. They score the second-most points per game in the OCAA with 93.5. They surrender 87.8 points per game – 19th in the province. The Falcons also average just under 50 rebounds per game and average the most free throws per game.
Fanshawe has four players averaging double-digits in points. Two of those players are averaging over 20 points per game: Marko Maletic and Alfred Johnson. Maletic is averaging 21.3 points per game, shooting 49 per cent from the field, and 43.9 per cent from beyond the arc. Johnson is averaging 20.3 points per game shooting 53.4 per cent from the field, averaging 11.3 rebounds per game. Maletic’s three-point percentage is the seventh-best in the OCAA, while Johnson averages the second-most rebounds per game, including the most offensive rebounds.
Maletic had a game early in the season against Sheridan where he dropped 41 points, including seven three-pointers. Johnson’s season-high was a 25 point, 19 rebound performance against Humber.
Alongside Maletic and Johnson, Hanani Ujullu is also a handful in the paint. Ujullu averages 13.5 points per game with over eight rebounds. Both he and Alfred Johnson stand at 6’6, and will be put in to create size mismatches on the floor. D’Andre Austin rounds out the scoring leaders for the Falcons. He averages 12.4 points per game and leads the Falcons with 4.4 assists per game.
In a game against the Redeemer Royals, the Falcons set a new school record by knocking down 16 three-pointers. The next game, they hit just five; however, they scored 62 points in the paint. The Falcons men’s basketball team is able to win games in any number of ways. They can shoot the lights out when they need to, and pound the paint with skilled forwards if the shots aren’t falling. So long as they are able to secure rebounds, the Falcons could make some noise in the OCAA this season.
Next game: November 23rd, 8 pm at Sault College – Sault Ste. Marie
Women’s Volleyball
4th in CCAA; 1st in OCAA West (6-0)
The Fanshawe Falcons women’s volleyball team is poised to make another run at the national championship this season. Coming off a bronze medal finish last season, the Falcons have not missed a step this year, roaring out of the gates with a 6-0 start.
Nine of last year’s team of 14 players have returned. Through their six matches this season, the Falcons have only dropped one set. As a team, they have the highest hitting percentage (.322), the most kills per set (11.84) and the most points per set (15.9) in the OCAA. They have the second-most assists (198) and the third-most assists per set (10.42).
Falcons setter, Ashley Rafferty preparing for an assist.
Courtesy: Matt Hiscox
The Falcons have been led by third-year outside hitter Janelle Albert. She leads the OCAA averaging 5.7 points per set – double the amount of the next closest player. She also has the highest hitting percentage in the league at .434 and the second-most kills with 87. Albert also leads her team with 40 digs.
Setter Ashley Rafferty has also been strong for the Falcons so far. She averages the third-most assists per set in the OCAA with 8.67.
It appears as if the Falcons women’s volleyball team has not missed a step since their undefeated OCAA championship run last season. They have not lost a regular-season conference game in two years. They have much of the same cast that won provincials one year ago. Barring any catastrophic collapses, the Falcons should be a safe bet to go to nationals again.
Next game: November 23rd, 1 pm vs Redeemer – Glenn Johnston Athletic Centre
Men’s Volleyball
5th in OCAA West (4-2)
The Falcons men’s volleyball team are defending CCAA National Champions. They went a perfect 18-0 in conference play, winning the OCAA title before running the table at nationals. This year, it has been a rougher start. The Falcons sit at 4-2 so far this season, having just five players returning from last year’s roster.
Mitch McFadden elevating for a hit for the Falcons.
Courtesy: Matt Hiscox
Despite the tough record, Fanshawe still has the second-highest hitting percentage in the OCAA at .310. They have the fifth-most aces (46), and the fifth-most assists per set (9.25).
James Pratt is the top target on the outside for the Falcons. He has 37 kills so far this season for a .477 percentage. Rookie setter, Jackson Otten, has impressed in his first season with the Falcons. He has the fifth-most assists in the OCAA this season with 167, averaging 8.15 per set – also fifth-most. His older brother, Sam, won the national championship with Fanshawe last year.
Repeating as a national champion is no easy task. The Fanshawe Falcons men’s volleyball team is experiencing this first hand. A strong start to the season from a rookie setter and a solid start from an experienced hitter show some promise; however, they are a young team who are still gelling as a unit. It will be a long time back up to the top, but nothing is quite out of the question for a team with championship pedigree.
Next game: November 23rd, 3 pm vs Mohawk – Glenn Johnston Athletic Centre
Badminton
13th in CCAA
Fanshawe’s badminton team hosted a tournament at the Glenn Johnston Athletic Centre over the weekend.
Falcons Women’s Doubles pair of Han Pham and Maeyen Chua had a great weekend, finishing in second place in the top flight with a record of 3-1. Pham also finished tied for third in the Women’s Singles event.
The Fanshawe Men’s Doubles pair of Jithin Suresh and Hein Van also finished the weekend 3-1 in the top flight, falling in the semi-final to eventual champion Seneca.
Next event: December 7-8th, George Brown College – Toronto, ON.
