GUELPH, Ont. – The University of Guelph men's basketball team opens up a brand new season on the hardwood on Friday (Oct. 24) when they host the reigning OUA champion Ottawa Gee-Gees in their 2025-26 season opener from the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre. The OUA regular season remains unchanged as it features 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 18, 2026. The Gryphons last season won their last four games of the season to grab the final spot in the postseason as they look to make it back-to-back playoff appearances with a lot of key returning players back for another season.
 
"We have a good core of returners with a year of experience now under their belts which should help our chemistry as a group," says head coach Chris O'Rourke, entering his 29th season leading the University of Guelph men's basketball program, making him the longest-tenured head coach in U SPORTS men's basketball. "Establishing ourselves on the defensive end will be a key for us this season, but we our excited about our depth, unselfishness and balanced scoring throughout the lineup."
 
The Gryphons return plenty of players from last season's squad led by guard Amare Hamilton. The international development major returns for his second season with the Gryphons following a standout rookie year which saw him earn a spot on the OUA All-Rookie Team. The Brampton native averaged 10.1 points per game last season and really came on in the second half, scoring in double figures seven times including a 25-point game against the Windsor Lancers (Jan. 18). Playing alongside Hamilton in the backcourt is electric guard, Jack Tunstill. Tunstill, a geography major from St. Thomas, Ontario, enters his fourth year of eligibility but just his second season as a Gryphon after producing a memorable rookie season with the Gryphons a season ago. Tunstill, who impressed at the OCAA ranks at Fanshawe prior to arriving at U of G, scored 11.3 points per game and was one of the team's best rebounders grabbing 127 boards. Tunstill was also one of the national leaders in steals, finishing the 2024-25 season with 61 steals, ranking him 2nd in all of U SPORTS in steals, and 1st in the OUA in the category. Dylan Koffi and Isaiah Odle-Clarke, both with a year under their belts, looks poised to take another step forward in the Guelph backcourt. Raef Wykes provides the team with a threat from beyond the arc, with the third-year guard showing flashes last season, including a memorable performance on February 5 versus Laurier last season, where he scored a season-high 19 points while knocking down 5 threes. Second-year guard Mazen Yagubi is expected to be part of the rotation this season as a distributor from the point. Incoming 6-foot-7 rookie, Vito Albanese (Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario) projects to make an immediate impact with his ability to provide the team with both shooting and rebounding. Another incoming rookie who could make an immediate impact is first-year guard J Helman, who arrives at the University of Guelph from Victoria, B.C.
 
Forward Eric Armstrong returns for his fourth season, after taking a major step forward last season in his third-year with the team and emerged as the team's main scoring threat. The New Hamburg, Ontario native blossomed as a starter, starting in all 22 games, averaging 15.7 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game and shot 45.6% from the field. The management economics and finance major had seven games where he scored 20+ points including a 27-point, 11 rebound double-double against Waterloo on January 11. Jack Gallaway enters his second season with the team and provides an interior presence with his rebounding ability. Combo-forward Emmanuel Black is also back with the Gryphons for his second season and will play an integral role in the frontcourt after appearing in 18 games last season. 6-foot-10 forward Bennett Cotton rounds out the quartet of returning forwards, with Cotton also possessing the ability to knock down shots from the perimeter.
 
The Gryphons men's basketball team will be tested in their home opener, with their 2025-26 regular season officially beginning with a home matchup against the reigning OUA champion Ottawa Gee-Gees. Tip off from Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre is scheduled for Friday (Oct. 24) 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.