WINNIPEG – The No. 12 seed UNBC Timberwolves continued their Cinderella run during the Canada West Playoff Tournament, eliminating the host, No. 4 seed Manitoba Bisons on Thursday night at IGAC with an 84-78 victory in front of over 2000 fans.
 
Neither team led by more than nine in a back-and-forth battle which came down to the final four minutes.  
 
The Timberwolves went on a 14-5 run during that span, sealing the deal with clutch shooting and impressive defence, which featured a smothering zone at times, especially late in the game.
 
Manitoba led 73-70 following a Simon Hildebrandt layup (20 points overall), but the T-Wolves responded with a deep triple from point guard Justin Sunga, the program's single-season assists record holder, who had a double-double with 16 points and ten assists.
 
Mason Kraus then missed a jumper, and senior forward Chris Ross (10 rebounds, nine points) responded with a layup, plus the and-one on the free throw, coming up clutch despite two Bisons draped all over him.
 
The Timberwolves didn't trail the rest of the way, getting free throws from Sunga and Josh Gillespie along the way. The visitors were also in the bonus for the final five minutes, making 11 free throws in the final ten, while hitting 21 of 27 overall in the game.
 
'The Mountain' Spencer Ledoux led the way, getting to the line 15 times, while leading all UNBC players with 22 points.
 
The senior, with his family in the crowd, played 37 minutes, scoring at will in the paint while also nailing a triple, while five T-Wolves scored in double figures.
 
"Staying with my game is really huge for my team," said Ledoux.
 
"When I'm doing my thing, it gets other guys open, and as you see, our team works together and everyone scores a little bit. Me getting inside gets other guys better shots. It felt like for the first few quarters, they had the bonus early. We just had to luck out on our timing on that. Those free throws were extremely critical. They really slowed the game down."
 
Manitoba led 27-19 after one, and had a three-point lead entering the fourth, but they were unable to hit from the perimeter in the final ten, going 2-for-12, and 8-for-39 overall.
 
They won the rebounding battle 50-37, getting a game-high 13 from Cieran O'Hara, while lone senior Wyatt Tait had ten points and six boards, and Daren Watts game a game-high 23.
 
The Bisons also got seven steals, and had their chances to pull away, but the rim was not their friend from distance, especially in the final quarter, while Manitoba had just two attempts at the line in the fourth.
 
"The fouls were definitely a big part of the game. I don't think we got to the line as much as we should have. We should have probably forced the issue and attacked the paint more," said Tait.
 
"The last five minutes, we got great looks from some of our best shooters, they just didn't fall. It's kind of the way the game goes sometimes. I think [UNBC] help a lot, and they crash when we drive. The pitch-out for threes was open. We shot 39 threes, which has to be our season high. Sometimes they just don't fall."
 
The Timberwolves will move on to face No. 1 seed, two-time defending conference champion Victoria on Saturday at 6 pm with a shot at nationals on the line, while No. 2 seed Calgary will face No. 3 seed Winnipeg in the other semi.
 
"UNBC basketball, at this point in my life, I'm six years in, it means the world," added Ledoux, the two-time Canada West field goal percentage leader.
 
"I put a lot into this. A lot of years unsuccessful and this year we're coming together, moving the ball well, everyone's playing defence. I want everyone to know, why not us?"