Bisons get by Bobcats in play-in game

IT was far from a banner day on offence for the Manitoba Bisons, but it didn’t need to be with the way they took care of business on their end of the floor.

Less than a week after they dominated their inter-provincial rival in consecutive contests at home, the Bisons were pushed much harder by the Brandon Bobcats in Thursday night’s Canada West conference hoops play-in game on a neutral court, but emerged with a 79-68 victory at the University of British Columbia’s War Memorial Gym.

A strong fourth quarter, spurred by 11 points from fifth-year guard Daren Watts — who finished with 19 — saved fifth-seeded Manitoba from an upset against its 12th-seeded opponent.

The Bisons held leads of 20-15 and 36-29 after the first two quarters, but the Bobcats came alive offensively out of the break, scoring 26 in the third frame to take a 55-53 lead into the final quarter.

Brandon’s comeback was due in part to a difficult showing on offence by Manitoba, which turned the ball over 25 times and recorded just nine assists collectively.

The veteran Bisons — led by a cast of fifth years who are playing in their final season of university men’s basketball together — showed their experience when it mattered most, however.

Guard Mason Kraus led all Bisons with 20 points and notched a double-double with 10 rebounds.

Kraus was at his best on the defensive end, as he had the unenviable task of guarding Bobcats star Sultan Haider-Bhatti, who was held in check for the vast majority of the game until connecting on a few desperation three-pointers in the late moments to finish with a game-high 21 points.

Tito Obasoto was solid off the bench for the Bisons, supplying 14 points, while first-year forward Ramogi Nyagudi chipped in 10. Fifth-year forward Cieran O’Hara cleaned up on the glass with a game-high 19 rebounds.

The Bobcats were one of the sharpest shooting programs during the regular season. Much of their offensive production came from their success beyond the arc, but they struggled to get it to go against a strong Manitoba defence, connecting on nine of 31 attempts.

Munroop Gill had 13 points, while fellow guards Travis Hamberger and Youri Cange poured in 12 apiece.

While the game was played on a neutral court and didn’t draw much of a crowd, many of those in attendance were unmistakably in support of a Brandon team that boasts five players from the Lower Mainland.

The Bisons can count on being met by a much more hostile crowd when they return to War Memorial Gym for Friday’s quarterfinal against the fourth-seeded UBC Thunderbirds (4 p.m.).

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