The Herd delivered a poised and resilient performance on the road, knocking off the Alberta Golden Bears 85–79 in a hard-fought CanWest battle that showcased composure, balance, and timely shot-making.
Coming off the bench, Tito Obasoto (pictured above) turned in one of his best performances as a Bison. Obasoto poured in a team-high 22 points, shooting an impressive 9-for-12 from the field and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. Two of those three-pointers came at critical moments late in the game, helping seal the win.
The Bisons set the tone early, shooting 58% in the first quarter to jump out to a 27–19 lead. Manitoba continued to execute in the second quarter, extending the advantage to 45–33 at halftime.
Momentum shifted in the third quarter as the Herd briefly lost their offensive rhythm and the Golden Bears found theirs. Alberta clawed back to tie the game 55–55 late in the quarter, before Mason Kraus steadied things with three straight free throws and Taven Vigilance buried a three-pointer in the final seconds to give Manitoba a 61–56 edge heading into the fourth.
Alberta came out strong in the final frame, opening on a 7–1 run to take their first lead of the night at 63–62. From there, the contest tightened into a possession-by-possession struggle.
With just over a minute remaining, the Bisons held a slim two-point lead but showed their maturity down the stretch, executing on both ends to close out a 85–79 victory.
Despite a tough shooting night from the field, Kraus was outstanding at the line, going 11-for-14, finishing with 20 points, and making a major impact defensively.
Watts chipped in 16 points, while O’Hara continued his strong work on the glass with seven defensive and three offensive rebounds.
For Alberta, CanWest All-Star Isaac Simon led all scorers with 23 points, keeping the Golden Bears within striking distance throughout.
Post-game, Coach Schepp praised his team’s execution and resolve:
“We came out playing very level offensively, putting up 27 in the first quarter. We were able to really exploit their big guys in pick and roll. Alberta responded by playing a smaller lineup and fought back into the game taking the lead. The rest of the way was a back and forth battle with big shots made by both teams late.”
He also highlighted individual efforts:
“Tito Obasoto had one of his most efficient scoring nights and attacked their guards very well. Mason struggled shooting but got to the free-throw line and played incredible defense. (Golden Bears) Isaac Simon played very well, but we were able to limit his shots late in the fourth.”
With the win, Manitoba improves to 8–5, climbing into third place in the Prairie Conference, while Alberta falls to 9-4, dropping to second place.
The teams are back at it tonight in what is expected to be another competitive matchup, as the Bisons look to build on this performance and carry momentum forward.
Another solid win. Another strong team effort. Another step forward for the Herd.
Go Bisons. 🦬
