During a six-game win streak dating back to February 1st against Winnipeg, the No. 7 nationally ranked Manitoba Bisons have recorded 45 steals. It's business as usual for an in-your-face defence that gives the opposition very little room to breathe.
 
Manitoba finished second in Canada West, allowing just 70 points per game, and no team has scored 80 or more against them since January 24th.
 
In order to be successful on defence, every player needs to keep the intensity high, staying active to help force bad decisions. A lot of it is mental, being alert and in the play for as long as necessary.
 
Not everyone loves playing defence. It can be a thankless job at times, and the results of forcing turnovers or locking down a shooter don't always show up on the score sheet. But rest assured, pressure defence can and has, in Manitoba's case, changed games.
 
No one understands the value of quality defence more than veteran guard Tito Obasoto.
 
The Ibadan, Nigeria native has been a spark plug off in bench over the last four years for the Bisons. He finished second on the team in steals this year (along with Manyang Tong), with 22, and he has 95 in the regular season dating back to 2021-22.
 
"Honestly, I feel like that's always been me. That's always been my game. I truly do love this sport. Playing defence is a way for me to express my love for the sport," smiled Obasoto.
 
"When I'm overly active or super expressive, it helps bring the people around me up. When I'm in someone's face, the next man behind me wants to engage and he's locked into the play. If I come in the game, that's my way of impacting the game without putting the ball in the hoop. It fits perfectly, like a key into a door. It's my way of helping the team win. It's what I love to do."
 
Obasoto is genuine and humble when he talks about his roots in basketball. Coming to a new country at age 13, he had few connections and a lot of time on his hands.
 
His parents were busy grinding, working late to provide for the family, and that's where the sport entered his life in a major way.
 
"My parents used to come home late, because they were working all the time, so I would go to the Boys and Girls Club, because that was the only place I could be and I could stay until my parents came back. They had a basketball team over there and I joined the basketball team," he recalled.
 
"I remember vividly, I just couldn't make a layup. I was just so mad. Me wanting to make the layup turned into me wanting to make a jump shot, turned into my trying to go between the legs and make a cross-over. Now I'm here. I just fell in love with the game."
 
Basketball has taught Obasoto a lot about himself. It's given him confidence in who he is, provided a platform to express himself and helped him channel his competitive spirit.
 
And so, it's only right that he honours the game in his own unique way.
 
"I feel like defence is very unique to each player. A lot of the things I can do, I can do because I'm confident in the fact that I can," he added.
 
"Even if you do beat me, I know I can beat you to the spot. Me, I feel like if I'm making you comfortable, I'm already winning in that sense. My goal is to make you uncomfortable, and shadow you to a spot that I know I can beat you to. Either way, you're kind of screwed."
 

 
'We've been there before'
Against Thompson Rivers in last week's Canada West quarterfinal, Obasoto was in fine form. He had a game-high three steals, while his 14 points were the second-most amongst Manitoba's roster.
 
It was the third time in the last five games where Obasoto scored more than ten points, providing key offensive depth to go with relentless, pressure defence.
 
Eight of Obasoto's 14 points came in the second half, including five in the fourth. After two minutes of scoreless basketball, his clutch corner three helped open up an 11-5 run for the Herd, who took a 62-61 lead with 3:39 to go after previously trailing by as much as five.
 
Then, with six seconds left, Obasoto made one of the game's most important plays.
 
Up by one, Manitoba had a side out, and needed to maintain possession in order to get to the free throw line. With a variety of Bisons locked up, it was Obasoto who needed to climb the ladder to grab the ball off a Mason Kraus side out.
 
Despite having a man in his face, Obasoto came down with the basketball, remaining calm under pressure. He proceeded to sink the following two free throws, and TRU missed their last shot as Manitoba moved onto the Canada West semi-finals for the second time in the last three years.
 
"We definitely could have let last week's game slip through our hands. But I feel like the fact that we've been through those heartbreaks and that adversity, it all added up and amounted to the push we had in the last couple of minutes of the game," Obasoto said.
 
"I feel like that's our edge in comparison to other teams. We've been there before. We've been here and lost, multiple times at that. Everyone is out there, putting it all on the floor. We know we have to execute and fight and make the extra plays. I feel like that's everything for our group this year."


 
As the lights out guard mentioned, the Bisons have been here before.
 
Last season, they hosted the largest single site men's basketball playoff tournament in Canada West history, but were upset in the quarterfinals by Cinderella UNBC. The year before, they set a school record for wins in the regular season, with 18, but were once again upset in IGAC, this time by Winnipeg in the conference semis.
 
All that heartbreak has hardened Manitoba's veteran core, and taught them a lot about themselves. They know what is needed to get over the edge, with a roster that includes nine members in their third or fourth year of eligibility.
 
The Bisons (16-4 in the regular season) will get the chance to re-write history on Saturday at 7 pm when they host nationally ranked UBC in the Canada West semi finals.
 
The hosts of nationals, the Thunderbirds come into action at 15-5 out of Canada West's Pacific Division, fresh off a win over Winnipeg.
 
They have tons of size all throughout their roster, and Manitoba will need everyone to win. But that's been their story all season. Every roster member has risen to the challenge, especially in big games against nationally ranked opponents like Calgary and the Wesmen.
 
"All the games that we played against teams that were higher than us helped to define us, and showed we can face adversity and come out on top," noted Obasoto.
 
"It showed that we can compete and we belong and it's not a fluke. We are one of the top teams in Canada West. It also showed our depth. One of those games, [rookie ] Taven [Vigilance] went off, one of those games, [guard] Sam [Jensen] went off. It showed me have multiple weapons and anyone can rise up in any occasion."