Posted: Nov 18, 2025
Pelumi Ajayi, St. Mary's Lightning, Men's Basketball
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Pelumi Ajayi was an unstoppable force this past weekend who set the tone for the St Mary's Lightning on their first ACAC road trip of the season. The senior forward was active in every area of the game, playing with purpose, connection, and the kind of selfless leadership you hope for from a fifth-year veteran.
St. Mary’s picked up two big wins as they stormed north to face Augustana and #10-ranked NAIT, and Ajayi’s play was the cornerstone of both. His numbers were outstanding, but his impact stretched far beyond the box score — controlling the pace, sparking defensive runs, and elevating the energy of everyone around him.
On Friday, Ajayi poured in 29 points to go with 6 rebounds, 5 steals, and 4 assists on 66% shooting (+12). He followed that with another dominant performance on Saturday, finishing with 24 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, and 2 assists while shooting 57%, including 7–8 from the free-throw line (+14). He was named Player of the Game in the win over NAIT.
Ajayi is a fifth-year Psychology major from Calgary.
STAT LINES
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | SCORE | |
| FRIDAY | 29 | 6 | 4 | W 70-61 AT UAA |
| SATURDAY | 24 | 6 | 2 | W 69-64 AT NAIT |
GAME ON: A GLIMPSE AHEAD
Back-to-back road wins — 70–61 at Augustana and a huge 69–64 victory over #10 NAIT — have sparked a three-game streak and put a high-ceiling Lightning season back on track. Sitting 4th in the ACAC South with multiple games in hand, the team now turns to a home-and-home with Red Deer this weekend, highlighted by a halftime celebration of last year’s national silver-medal women’s squad.
TEAM RECORDS
STMU: 3-2
UAA: 2-4
NAIT: 7-1
RDP: 1-6