WINNIPEG -- The Manitoba Bisons played lock down defence and capitalized in transition in an 81-74 win over Brandon at IGAC to open their season. The Bobcats fell to 0-2.

The Herd recorded an incredible 12 blocks on the day, compared to just one for the visitors. Half of Manitoba's blocks total came from 6'6" versatile force Cieran O'Hara. He had multiple blocks in three different quarters, displaying incredible defence on Brandon's top scorer Sultan Haider Bhatti, who had 18 points, but went 5-for-16 from the field.

"Those two guys together, [O'Hara and leading scorer Daren Watts] I thought did a really good job. They just made it really tough," said Bisons head coach Kirby Schepp. "[Haider Bhatti] is a very good player. He got going a bit later on, he got a few clean looks late off of some broken plays, but I thought they did a really good job making it tough.

O'Hara's 13 rebounds were also a career-high, and he finished just two points shy of a double-double. Capable of defending anyone on the court, his three steals also tied for a career high. O'Hara's six blocks were also the fifth-most in a regular season game in recorded Canada West history.

"I think people kind of underestimate how long I am sometimes," said the well-spoken veteran, now in his fourth year of eligibility.

"It's a lot of tips, that's all it is. When teams are looking for the three, I try to be there, I try to contest. I think it helps a lot on the shooters. Our hope was to make Hayder Bhatti take difficult shots [. . . ] Kirby wanted me to do my job, the same as last year. I think last year, I realized at the end of the year that I was getting a lot more rebounds. Every game I'm going in, just thinking grab the ball. That's what I'm doing."

"[O'Hara] is going to be our anchor defensively this year," added. Schepp. His ability to move his feet, to guard every position, to not only make the first effort, but the second effort to recover, to rebound, he really affected the game at that end. It was a big reason why we were even in it."

Manitoba led by as much as 14, and never trailed by more than two points in the win. A major stat was free throw efficiency, as Manitoba went 22-for-26, while Brandon went 11-for-18.

Travis Hamberger, Dewayne Thompson and Jakarri Lindsey all scored in double figures for Brandon, who also had eight steals overall, three from Thompson. They scored nine points off of Manitoba's turnovers, but the Herd were also successful in that are, with 15 points off turnovers.

Impact transfer Manyang Tong, who most recently played for SAIT in the CCAA, along with three prior years with the Calgary Dinos, was a key contributor on both ends for a Bisons team that had six steals overall.

Tong did a significant amount of damage in the second half, scoring six points in eight minutes in the fourth quarter and recording ten overall along with six rebounds, three assists and an incredible denial block at the rim in transition.

He played in 23 minutes as a starter for the Bisons, taking up the role previously held by "the glue guy" Wyatt Tait. It's the fifth time in his U SPORTS career that Tong's scored in double figures, and first since February of 2012, when he put up 12 against Mount Royal.

"[Tong] came in and he was just super solid. He doesn't make a lot of dumb plays. He's just very, very steady," said Schepp.

"He's also one of those guys who can play all over the place positionally. I don't want to give him this title yet, but he's this year's glue guy in a lot of ways."

Manitoba faces Saskatchewan on the road this weekend.