WINNIPEG – In a playoff and potential Canada West final preview, the No. 2 nationally ranked Victoria Vikes out-lasted the No. 6 Manitoba Bisons 103-100 in overtime, as the two teams offered up an all-time classic on Saturday at IGAC.
 
The Vikes trailed by 15 at halftime, exploding in the third quarter thanks to forward Renoldo Robinson, who came alive with a career-high 46 points, 20 of which came in the third.
 
The performance was needed, as the Vikes played their third game in a row without the nation's leading scorer Diego Maffia, who's a major reason why UVic's won back to back conference banners.
 
"Even without Diego, we're still a good team," said Robinson, who often had success driving to his left and shooting the three, where he had six of his team's 14 triples.
 
"We just have to stay together as a team. Even if Diego is injured or not, we're still No. 2 in the nation. We're still here. When I was getting hot, whatever shot I took, I just had to live with it. If I make it or miss, I just have to live with it."
 
The win improves the Vikes record to 9-3, as they split the two-game weekend set with the Herd.
 
UVic are in fifth in the Canada West conference based on RPI, while Manitoba, despite the loss, remain in a top-four position at 11-5. They sit in third in the conference, with the top four teams earning a first round bye for the 12-team Canada West Playoff Tournament, hosted by the Bisons from February 21-25.
 
Robinson single-handedly out-scored the Bisons 20-3 in the first five minutes of the third, giving his side a 61-56 lead.
 
Overall, Robinson scored 23 points in the third, missing just two shots from the field, while the Vikes out-scored Manitoba 38-9 and led 76-62 entering the fourth.
 
 Cue Bolatito "Tito" Obasoto, who scored 12 points in the fourth, including two triples, along with two rebounds and two assists. It was also Obasoto that gave Manitoba a 90-88 lead on a jumper in the paint with 41 seconds left.
 
Overall, Obasoto finished with a career high 20 points, successfully driving into the paint many times. He was also responsible for guarding Robinson down the stretch, holding him to just two points in the fourth quarter.
 
"With the game [Robinson] was having, it's hard to replicate that same energy on the defensive end. I know my strengths. I know if I see defenders in front of me, I can get to the paint and create out of that paint touch," said Obasoto.
 
"As soon as I got back on defence and I knew [Robinson] was tired, it was about knowing the weak spots and knowing when to go."
 
Victoria tied the game at 90 with 28 seconds to go on a Shadynn Smid dunk, and he was also fouled on the play, but the ensuing free throw was missed, and the rebound was gobbled up by Bisons point guard Mason Kraus.
 
Daren Watts, who had a team-high 26 points, including five points in a 13-5 run by Manitoba to tie the game late, had a chance for the win, but his jumper rimmed out.
 
The Vikes led by as much as 12 in the fourth, but active, man defence helped the Herd come back to tie the game during a phenomenal five minute run. Kraus was steady on defence during that time, as UVic's two best players in Robinson and Elias Ralph (21 points, 15 rebounds) were held to just eight points.
 
Overall, Kraus finished with a game-high five steals, two of which came in the fourth, along with ten points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
 
Manitoba was ahead in OT until the final minute, as emphatic dunks from Cieran O'Hara and Simon Hildebrandt, who had 22 points, led to a two-point lead.
 
That's when Robinson took the game into his hands, getting a layup-and one to give Victoria a 98-97 lead, and he added two more free throws with 19 seconds to go to ultimately close things out.
 
"I'm not going to lie, good players make good plays," Obasoto said of Robinson.
 
"If you watch the game tape over, he was taking the hardest shots possible. It's not like he was getting wide open looks. I give him his props. He had a good game. We made him work for his buckets and he made some shots. That's about it really."
 
Manitoba is on a bye this week, with their next action taking place February February 1 in the annual Duckworth Challenge against Winnipeg. The rematch goes the ensuing Saturday at 4 pm.