WINNIPEG – Forward Manyang Tong scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, helping the No. 9 nationally ranked Manitoba Bisons come from behind late to beat Alberta 88-82 in OT.
The win keeps the Bisons at the top of Canada West's Prairie Division, at 11-2. Alberta fell to 4-9 but are still in a playoff position entering tomorrow's rematch.
Down by as much as 19 with 4:47 to go in the third, the Golden Bears fought back. On the strength of career nights from rookies
Nash Semeniuk and
Kyle Varner (27 and 22 points, respectively), the visitors out-scored Manitoba 17-2 to close out the third, and took a 63-62 lead with five minutes to go after
Caiden Kushnir found Varner cutting to the basket for a layup.
Shortly after, the Golden Bears took a 66-62 lead following a triple from Varner. Perimeter shooting was the story during the U of A's run, as they broke Manitoba's press with great ball movement.
Varner and Semeniuk combined to shoot 5-for-9 from three during the third and fourth quarter, including three triples in quick succession from the latter at the end of the third.
Alberta also won the battle on the glass, scooping up 47 boards, led by
Ethan Egert's 12. A long Golden Bears roster used their size to create quite a few second chance opportunities, with five different players recording at least five rebounds.
But like they've done all year, the gritty Bisons didn't go away. A Brandt Lenz triple, one of 15 on the day for the Herd, tied the game at 68 with 1:38 to go. The three came moments after Tong sunk a perimeter shot off the backboard and in to cut into Alberta's lead.
Semeniuk splashed a mid-range floater out of a Golden Bears timeout to give his side a 70-68 lead with 32 seconds to go, setting up utter bedlam to conclude the contest.
Guard Mason Kraus, who finished with 16 points and a game-high four steals, got to the line on the following possession, but missed one of his free throws. That forced Manitoba to foul Alberta, putting Egert at the line with 14 seconds to play.
Egert hit his first free throw, but missed the second. A mad scramble then ensued.
Fahad Yusuf scooped up the loose basketball for Alberta, but his shot didn't fall from close range. He got his hands on the rebound, but Manitoba's Daren Watts showed incredible heart, staying with the play to ensure his hands also remained on the basketball despite jumping from an odd angle behind the play.
Cieran O'Hara also fought to keep his hands on the ball, earning Manitoba the chance to tie the game with 11 seconds left, as the hosts had the possession arrow.
Out of a timeout, Tong was given the ball. The set play out of the side out was not designed for him, but he saw an opportunity in an one-on-one situation and beat his defender to the glass, finishing with a smooth kiss off the glass with his vintage left hand drive to tie the game at 71.
Alberta had two early leads in overtime, as Varner and Semeniuk both sunk shots, but Manitoba had the answer, with their veterans stepping up big.
Kraus tied the game following a turnover and layup, and Tong gave the hosts the lead for good following a fast-break opportunity that led to a successful free throw.
Kraus pulled clutch right after, sinking a corner three with a man in his face to give Manitoba a 79-75 lead with 2:21 to play. He then stole the ball on the following Alberta possession, and one offensive series after, he found a streaking Watts who finished the play with an empathic two-hand dunk.
Tong added five more points late, negating any attempt at a Golden Bears comeback, as the hosts took the six-point victory.
Both teams play again tomorrow at 7 pm.
