GUELPH, Ont. – The University of Guelph men's basketball team is set to return to the hardwood for a brand new season of OUA men's basketball when they host the Windsor Lancers in their opener on Friday night (Oct. 23, 2026). The 2026-27 OUA regular season remains unchanged, featuring a 22-game schedule, with 18 basketball programs from across the province split into three divisions, with the Gryphons playing in the OUA West Division. Twelve teams will earn a spot in the playoffs, with the OUA postseason officially getting underway with the preliminary round on February 17, 2027. The Gryphons have reached the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, and a season ago earned a playoff win over the Lancers, before taking the eventual OUA champions, TMU Bold, to overtime in the OUA quarterfinals before ultimately falling just short. We get you set for the season ahead, with a breakdown of the 2026-27 edition of the Gryphons men's basketball team, who once again look poised to make some noise in the OUA.
"I'm excited about the possibilities of what this season could bring," says head coach
Chris O'Rourke, entering his 30th season leading the University of Guelph men's basketball program, making him the longest-tenured head coach in U SPORTS men's basketball. "We bring back some key returnees alongside some impactful additions to the team. In a long OUA season, depth is going to be key throughout the season."
The Gryphons are led by a pair of key returning players in the dynamic
Jack Tunstill and the proven and reliable
Eric Armstrong.
Jack Tunstill enters his third season with the program and has established himself as one of the most electrifying guards in the country. The geography major from St. Thomas, Ontario scored 13.8 points per game while shooting 52.4% from the field and grabbed 139 rebounds last season. Tunstill is one of the best in the conference in steals during his time in Guelph as he had 47 steals last season, ranking second best in the OUA. Tunstill has also consistently made the highlight reel as one of the highest flyers in the OUA with an ability to get to, and finish at or above, the rim. Returning alongside Tunstill, is fifth-year forward
Eric Armstrong from New Hamburg, ON. Armstrong has emerged in the last two season as one of the team's most reliable options on offence. The management economics and finance major led the team averaging 14.9 points per game, 148 rebounds and shot 82.5% from the free throw line. Armstrong is also playmaker for the Gryphons, recording 50 assists in back-to-back seasons. Two of Armstrong's best games of the season last season came against the Lancers when he scored a career-high 33 points in the regular season and scored 28 points in the playoffs helping his side advance to the quarterfinals.
Amare Hamilton is back for his third season with the Gryphons. Hamilton, the international development studies major, led the team last year with 37 made threes. Fourth-year forward
Emmanuel Black closed out last season strong as he looks carry that momentum over into the 2026-27 season and should once again be a key contributor in the paint for the Gryphons. Black, the marketing management major from Brampton, is an efficient scorer, shooting 53.3% from the field and scoring 142 points last season. The Gryphons return plenty of depth from last year's team with
Isaiah Odle-Clarke,
Raef Wykes,
Vito Albanese and
Bennett Cotton all returning looking to make an impact.
The Gryphons men's basketball program sees six new players join their team for the upcoming season.
Jalen Janes,
Malachi Scott and
Nemanja Sarkanovic all arrive to Guelph as transfers from Brock. Janes is a talented guard from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia and a proven scorer at the OUA level. Scott is from Hamilton, Bermuda and is a big power forward that should make an immediate impact in the Gryphons front count. Sarkanovic is a combo guard who had one of his best games last season against the Gryphons, scoring 16 points. Will McCauley arrives to Guelph as a transfer from the Ottawa Gee-Gees. Rounding out the new players joining the Gryphons this season are first year players
Jason Morris-Blair and Yak-Itoro (Toro) Olaye.
Jason Morris-Blair is a 6-foot-5 true freshman guard from Hodan Prep in Vaughan, ON who has all the tools to succeed at the OUA level and impresed throughout the Gryphons preseason schedule, in which the team went 5-1. Olaye is a 17-year-old 6-foot-5 guard who is full of potential and brings plenty of size from St. Jude Prep is Mississauga.
The Gryphons men's basketball team will open their season with a pair of home games from the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre when they host the Windsor Lancers on Friday night (Oct. 23) and the Western Mustangs on Saturday night (Oct. 24) with tipoff for both games scheduled for 8pm. All Gryphons men's basketball games throughout the season can be streamed live online at www.oua.tv, with tickets for home games in Guelph available online at www.gryphons.ca/tickets.
