The Herd delivered a strong performance in a scrappy contest, defeating the Brandon Bobcats 89–76.
The Herd set the tone early with energy and defensive intensity, jumping out to a commanding first-quarter lead. Manitoba controlled the opening frame and never looked back, leading 23–9 after 10 minutes of play.
The Bisons maintained their momentum in the second quarter, outscoring Brandon 17–14 to take a 40–23 advantage into halftime.
Brandon responded after the break, edging Manitoba 24–23 in the third quarter, but the Bisons stayed composed and entered the final frame firmly in control at 66–52.
The Bobcats again outscored Manitoba 24–23 in the fourth, but the Herd’s early work proved decisive as they closed out the 89–76 victory.
Manitoba owned the glass, outrebounding Brandon 47–37, led by Cieran O’Hara’s dominant 16-rebound performance. The Bisons also moved the ball effectively, recording 20 assists compared to Brandon’s 14.
Manitoba shot 46 percent from the field and an impressive 87.5 percent from the free-throw line, while holding the Bobcats to 38 percent shooting.
Depth was another factor in the victory, as 10 Bisons saw action and contributed to the team’s effort. The consistent energy from the bench helped sustain Manitoba’s intensity, particularly in this physical, hard-fought game.
Ramogi Nyagudi came off the bench to lead the Herd offensively, pouring in 18 points on an efficient 7-of-12 shooting from the floor and a perfect 4-for-4 from the line. Daren Watts followed with 17 points and six rebounds, while Tito Obasoto and Mason Kraus each chipped in 13 points.
Defensively, the Herd was particularly effective against Brandon’s freestyle offense. Mason Kraus drew the assignment on Bobcats star Sultan Haider-Bhatti and delivered a standout effort, limiting him to 19 points on 8-of-18 shooting and just 1-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Following the game, head coach Kirby Schepp praised his team’s approach:
“A very hard game to get a rhythm offensively. I was happy with how the starters came out and played and built a lead. Brandon plays such an unorthodox game that it’s tough to play your normal offense.
Cieran O’Hara made his presence felt early inside and Ramogi Nyagudi gave us a great start off the bench. Daren Watts continued his usual solid, efficient play at both ends. And Mason Kraus showed why he is once again a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year in his matchup with Brandon’s star Sultan Haider-Bhatti.”
With the win, the Bisons improve to 12–7 on the season and are tied with Calgary and Mount Royal for third place in the Prairie Conference. Brandon drops to 8-11 and is tied for sixth with Regina.
The two teams meet again tonight at 7:00 p.m. as the Herd looks to complete the weekend sweep.
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