As September rolls around, varsity basketball teams from across Ontario are gearing up for an arduous season beginning in October. With lots of drama unfolding in last year’s men’s OUA playoffs, the Brock men’s basketball team heads into the 2025-26 campaign with one goal in mind: to prove that they still belong within the top teams in the province.
Coach Willy Manigat and his team were poised to dominate the men’s basketball scene for years to come after capturing the OUA championship in 2022 and finishing as the runner-up in 2024. With upper-year stars leaving to play professionally, the Badgers could fall short in the 2025 playoffs, losing to Ontario Tech in round one.
Now in limbo, the former OUA champs had to say goodbye to 2025 All-Star guard Davanté Hackett as he transferred to Stonehill College in Massachusetts. This upcoming year looks to bring a promising and exciting season for a Badger team with a chip on its shoulder.
Key New Additions
Birch Pockar – Guard
Cairo Perry – Wing
Magnus Carlos – Guard
Manigat and his staff are no strangers to recruiting from around the country. This summer was no different as the Badgers brought in numerous talents to develop over the course of their university career.
With a diverse group of freshmen coming on board this year, the combination of skill, grit, maturity and willingness to learn is exactly what the coaching staff is looking for. Birch Pockar, a hard-nosed guard from Calgary, is the prototype for what coach Manigat wants in a player. With a lethal outside shot, Pockar provides exactly what the Badgers need to improve from last season. Being able to create his own offence while still being able to play off the ball, the Calgary guard fits perfectly in a half-court offence that drastically needs to improve its shooting percentages from last year.
The recruiting wasn’t finished yet, as the Badgers brought in Cairo Perry, an explosive wing who never fails to electrify the gym with his athleticism. The Pickering product comes from a prestigious prep program at Royal Crown, a school that produces ready-now players who can make an instant impact on whichever team they join. Perry is nothing short of electric. With a motor that hardly stops, he brings the intensity on defense that every coach looks for in a young player. This is especially interesting for Brock’s team, which prides themselves on the defensive end.
Still having room to improve their offence, the Badgers didn’t stop signing skilled guards. Magnus Carlos joins the Badgers, fresh off a dominant year in his final season with Ignite Canada basketball. Considered one of, if not the best player out of the Manitoba class, Carlos possesses an elite scoring punch for Brock, with a special blend of shooting, flashy finishing and self-creation. It’s a perfect time for Carlos to join the Badgers squad, as offensive output is needed more than ever.
Who To Look Out For
Without their All-Star guard for the upcoming season, the 2025-26 campaign is the time for experienced players to step up into new roles. Nemanja Sarkonovic, a third-year guard from Kitchener, came into last season on a mission, struggling to shoot the ball consistently throughout the year. It didn’t take long for him to begin playing like himself again; he’s a tenacious defender with high-level finishing ability. Now going into his junior year, Sarkonovic looks to build off last season as a player who feeds off the energy of his teammates.
In the front court, the Badgers roll out a similar big man rotation to the previous year. Senior Michael Matas, who had an impressive 2024-25 campaign, heads into this year looking to build off what he did on both ends of the floor. Improving his scoring from 5.4 in 2024 to 11.3 points in 2025 is exactly what coach Manigat wanted from his big man, as Matas stepped into a larger role with increased touches down low. Not only did his scoring numbers shoot up, but his rebounding totals also jumped from 63 in 2024 to 94 in 2025. As the biggest guy on the floor for the Badgers, Matas’ rebounding is arguably the most important part of his role, especially moving in ahead to a season where he’ll be seeing similar minutes.
Though Matas’ defensive rebounding helped the Badgers immensely last season, it’s ultimately a team effort when it comes to that side of the ball. Guys like Ben Herbertand Anthony Heys are going to be looked at as returning guys whom Coach Manigat can trust on both ends. Herbert is a player with a lot of upside, as a person who doesn’t wow you with hyper athleticism or flashy handles. Doing a lot of dirty work, the Badgers forward has a knack for taking charges and hitting crucial shots when the team needs it most. With a consistent outside jump shot; Herbert’s role will look to be increased as the season moves along.
Heys is also a player that coach Manigat looks to insert into crunch-time situations, as he’s proven that he isn’t afraid to take the final shot in close games. With a steady hand and sneakily good defensive instincts, the St. Catharines native is a pesky guard who doesn’t shy from any role given to him. With improved point guard skills and the right tools, Heys can easily become one of Brock’s leading scorers.
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With highly regarded returning players and new recruits, the Badgers’ men’s basketball team enters the 2025-26 season as a team with something to prove. As he’s demonstrated over the years, however, no matter the stakes, Coach Willy Manigat always finds a way to have the Badgers represented come playoff time.