Determined Wesmen topple Bisons

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This article was published 01/02/2024 (915 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Wesmen were determined to seize control of their fate in the Canada West playoff race.

The scrappy Wesmen did just that Thursday night, getting 22 points and seven rebounds from forward Donald Stewart en route to a convincing 86-79 victory over the Manitoba Bisons in men’s basketball action at the Duckworth Centre.

The Wesmen improved to 12-5 in conference play while the Bisons, who host Saturday’s rematch at 4 p.m., fell to 11-6.

“This one feels great,” said Stewart. “They’re a great team. They’re ranked No. 6 in the nation for a reason. To get a win on our home court and our last home game and we got to honour (retiring U of W athletic director) Dave (Crook). It’s definitely special.”

The unranked hosts, who led 42-33 at halftime and built a 16-point lead after three quarters, had an answer for every Manitoba rally. They defended better and had a superior finishing touch.

High-scoring Manitoba guard Daren Watts, who finished with 15 points on six-for-22 shooting, did not hit his first field goal until the third quarter.

Point guard Mason Kraus also struggled, going two-for-10 and seven points.

“I really liked how we played defensively,” said Stewart. “Everyone was locked in and we were running around, contesting every shot. I think this is probably our best defensive performance.”

As a team, the Bisons were six-for-29 from behind the three-point arc. Winnipeg countered with a stellar 11-for-23 mark.

Mike Mikhailov and 15 points and 10 rebounds for the winners, while Shawn Maranan added 14 points and 12 assists.

Cieran O’Hara had 13 points for the Bisons, one more than Simon Hildebrandt.

“The same thing happened last year, right?” said Hildebrandt, who admitted Manitoba’s transition defence was not up to its usual standard. “They beat us in the first game and we got them back on the second night — new game.”

Earlier Thursday, the Manitoba women snapped a 22-game conference losing streak to Winnipeg with an inspired 73-66 win.

On Oct. 27, the Bisons ended a 32-game skid that included pre-season and regular-season meetings dating back more than nine years with a 74-65 triumph on home court.

“It feels good because it’s in season and not a pre-season game,” said fourth-year forward Emmerson Martin, who led the Herd with 20 points and added eight rebounds. “We’re fighting for a playoff spot so having a win like in the season is what we need right now. We’re super excited.”

Mar Tomas Arbos had 11 points for the visitors and teammate Emily Johnson chipped in with 10. Manitoba point guard Lauren Bartlett equalled a career high with 11 assists.

“We knew it was gonna be a fight no matter what,” said Martin, whose team led 31-30 at halftime. “We had to fight the whole time. We were trading baskets back and forth to close the game but we just kept talking on the bench, ‘We’ve got to pull away like right now,’ and I think we executed.”

The game, featuring 16 lead changes, was a coming out party for freshman Wesmen forward Jazmin Birch, who established a career high of 17 points and went seven-for-11 in only 14:11 of playing time. Birch also had four rebounds while second-year guard Raia Guinto had 16 points and seven rebounds.

“It was stressful, I’m not going to lie,” said Birch, a College Beliveau grad. “This kind of just motivates us to go at it again.”

Both clubs are 5-12 in conference play and are locked in a desperate battle for the 12th and final playoff spot in Canada West. The teams play a return match Saturday at Investors Group Athletic Centre.

Game time is 2 p.m.

“Our team played well the whole 40 minutes,” said Birch. “It’s just a matter of getting our shots. As long as we just keep hustling, keep rebounding, we’ll do well.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca