Varsity Athletics | 11/9/2026 4:30:00 PM

York University Lions basketball players Niamh Heath and LaDanian James have been named the latest York athletes of the week for the period ending Nov. 8.

Heath, a fourth-year guard from Toronto, had another solid game for the Lions this past weekend at Algoma. After scoring a career-high 24 points against the Western Mustangs on Oct. 31, the 6'0 guard put up 15 points, to go along with eight rebounds, two assists and a steal against the Thunderbirds in an 83-62 win, moving the Lions to 5-0 on the season and continuing the program's best start in 45 years. The anthropology student has now scored in double figures in two consecutive games for the third time in her York career, doing so for the first time since Nov. 28, 2025 and Jan. 9, 2026, against Algoma (14) and Toronto (12), respectively.

James, a second-year economics student from Toronto enjoyed the best game of his young season Saturday at Algoma, putting up a team-high 21 points off the bench in the Lions 92-75 win over the Thunderbirds, to put the Lions back above the .500 mark at 3-2 on the season. It wasn't just on offence where James made his presence felt in this one, as, in addition to his 21 points, he posted seven boards and four steals on the defensive end. Those 21 points were just three shy of his career high, which he set on Jan. 9 at Toronto, while his four takeaways did set a new career best.

The Lions basketball teams return to the floor Friday night in Waterloo, as Heath and the women's team looks to remain undefeated, while James and the men's squad aims for its best six-game start since 2013-14. Tip off times against the Warriors are set for 6:00 and 8:00 p.m., before York heads home to battle the Brock Badgers on Saturday night, also at 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. You can get your tickets to Saturday's showdowns at yorkulions.ca/tickets, and watch both doubleheaders on OUA TV.