Syracuse, NY - Onondaga Men's Basketball returned to Allyn Hall for the first home game of 2026 after a road game on Sunday with the JV squad of St. John Fisher University, where the Lazers brought home a 101-90 victory. OCC fell short to the Mighty Oaks of ESF, 106-102, moving to 10-4.

Despite an early 8-2 lead for OCC, ESF found their groove to take an 11-point lead midway through the half. The Lazers came back within 2 with just over six in the first half with help from Lazer Sophomore Shombe Jackson (Richmond, VA / Thomas Dale HS) tallying 10 in the half with a pair of threes. The Mighty Oaks pulled ahead to secure a 47-37 lead at the break.

ESF came out of the break to take their largest 17-point lead of the half just under five minutes in. The Mighty Oaks went on to score 23 points from the freethrow line in the second half, proving to be a major factor, with a total 29 points from the line on 26 team fouls called on OCC. The Lazers only took 9 points from the line on just 9 team fouls called on the Mighty Oaks. A three from Sophomore Malachi Wilson (Brooklyn, NY / Thomas Jefferson HS) brought OCC within 3 with just over four to go followed by a Noah Bwalya (Oswego, NY / Oswego HS) bucket to put them within 1. The Lazers proceeded to go on with 9 fouls called against them, converted to 14 points for ESF of a total 16 points in the final 3:33, resulting in a 106-102 final with the Lazers falling just short.

Sophomore Anthony Torres (Geneva, NY / Geneva HS), in his first minutes of the season in Allyn Hall, led all scorers with 24 points. Jackson tallied 21 with 15 from beyond the arc going 5-11. Sophomore Siyani Arthur (Brooklyn, NY / Brooklyn Law & Technology), also seeing his first minutes of the season in Allyn Hall, put up 16 points and 7 rebounds for the Lazers.

The Lazers travel East this weekend for two road games with SUNY Adirondack and Hudson Valley Community College returning to Region 3 play.

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