HAMILTON, Ont. – The No. 11 nationally ranked Mohawk Mountaineers men's basketball team is off to its best start since the 2015-16 season with a seventh straight win, defeating the Fanshawe Falcons 69-64 on Saturday.

Mohawk opened the game efficiently, sparked by a Scott Jenkins (Hamilton, Ont.) three-pointer. Through the first six minutes, the Mountaineers shot 50 per cent from the field and led 11-8. However, they missed their final four shots of the first quarter, committed three turnovers, and surrendered a 14-1 Fanshawe run to fall behind 22-12 after 10 minutes.

In the second quarter, Mohawk trimmed the deficit to two with 3:28 left and trailed 36-33 at halftime. Strong defensive play was key, as the Mountaineers held the Falcons to 35.3 per cent shooting and forced five turnovers in the frame.

Mohawk's momentum stalled early in the third, and Fanshawe pushed its lead back to nine with four minutes to go. But the Mountaineers found late offence, highlighted by an and-one three-pointer from Kazim Raza (Markham, Ont.), to take a 53-50 lead heading into the fourth.

Mohawk maintained its advantage the rest of the way, fending off several Falcons surges in the final quarter, including a brief one-point margin.

Marko Dosen (Hamilton, Ont.) again paced the Mountaineers with a game-high 22 points and nine rebounds.

Mohawk will look to stay perfect when it visits the top-ranked Humber Hawks on Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. in Etobicoke, Ont.