An incredible late surge by the Men’s Blues from seven points down in the fourth quarter secured the 2026 Varsity title 70-68. Two threes in the final minute from Corpus Christi veteran Alex Ramsey capped off an incredibly dramatic match between the revered rivals, winning Cambridge a ninth title in 13 matches. It sealed what had been a remarkable day for Cambridge, who won both the 2s and the Men’s 3s matches.

Oxford entered the Men’s Blues match as favourites but Cambridge had been unbeaten at home in Varsity since 2011, so had an even greater incentive to defend their turf. In non-traditional style, it was Oxford white against Cambridge black. The first quarter got off to an electric start, with both sides having great chances. The lead flipped multiple times early on, but the Oxford shooters set the tone as their 47 drained an outrageous three-pointer under real pressure and 42 picked off early mistakes to put the Dark Blues into an early lead.

“All the sweeter for inflicting Oxford’s first defeat of the season”

In response, an early change gave Cambridge a spark, as Jesus College’s Martin Moreno entered the court with some brilliant handiwork, starting to find gaps in the Oxford defence. Frustratingly, Cambridge failed to capitalise, and Oxford struck with two from a great half-court pass and another brutal three-pointer from 42 to send Oxford into the break 11-22 up.

Under instant pressure, a transformed Cambridge side came back onto the court, with an immediate interception leading to a great pass for the Girton’s American Kade Killeen to get the first score. The light blue defence was robust, but Oxford pressed high, and their 42 kept up his form with two huge scores to extend the Oxford lead to 12.

Soon enough, Cambridge captain Sidney Sarpong started to stamp his authority with great scores and some brilliant rebounds. The Watford man then created back-to-back threes from Pembroke’s New Yorker Jaiden Fisher-Dayn and Moreno, the latter roaring the home crowd into life. 42 responded with another three, but following a good streak, Moreno worked the ball to Jakob Stadler. From the angle, the Pembroke man drained a huge three from deep with the foul to tie the game! A twelve-point deficit overturned within minutes, and it did not stop there as Fisher-Dayn notched a three himself to send Cambridge into the lead in the closing stages. The boys in black went into half-time 36-32 up, the game well and truly back on.

“Palpable tension seeped from the stands as Oxford fought their way to two more scores”

The third quarter was a much tighter affair, with big misses prevalent for both sides. Oxford slowly built their way back level through a few Lane scores, but then an incredible leap from Moreno over multiple Oxford men under the hoop allowed him to tip-in a remarkable rebound to keep Cambridge ahead and get everyone on their feet. Defensive strength was the feature of the quarter, and besides a huge poster block from 13 recovering from a fumble, the quarter belonged to Oxford who edged back to one point behind.

The light blues fired out the blocks once again, with two huge threes from 21 and 15, but Oxford brought it back immediately. A combination of some huge under the rim lay-ups from Lane and a huge three from 47 put them up seven points, with a first Oxford title defence since 2012 looking ever more likely. First, Jesus’s Yuu Kunisada retorted with two huge scores, and it suddenly seemed like the game was not over. Then, after a flurry of missed opportunities for both sides, a vital interception allowed Fisher-Dayn to be teed up again, putting down an enormous three to tie the match with two minutes to play.

Palpable tension seeped from the stands as Oxford fought their way to two more scores, but a roaring response was yet to come from none other than the veteran Alex Ramsay. In an immediate response to both Oxford scores, with the lead in his hands, Ramsay put down two crucial threes from range to put Cambridge two points up with twenty seconds to play. A raucous home crowd was being pushed to breaking point.

“The entire arena was in disbelief and at the same time ecstatic, in truly remarkable scenes”

The men in white still had a chance to respond, but a worked manoeuvre was held off, forcing 47 to try another contested three, but he could not land it and Oxford were forced into fouls. The second infringement sent none other than game-changer Moreno to the line. However, with the chance to put the match beyond all reasonable doubt, his throws bounced desperately out of the rim, and Oxford had one last chance to steal the title at the death.

With five seconds remaining, a two would tie the match, and a three would win it. Lane, the man who had delivered huge scores for Oxford all half, sprinted the ball up the court. He dribbled one, then another, and he gave himself a driving chance under tight pressure from two players under the rim… but a difficult layup missed right without a foul! The home side had done it, in simply the most dramatic of fashions. The entire arena was in disbelief and the same time ecstatic, in truly remarkable scenes. Despite lacking the form, Cambridge secured a seventh straight home Varsity victory by the tightest margin in years at 70-68, all the sweeter for inflicting Oxford’s first defeat of the season.