WINNIPEG — A hot start never really stopped for the Brandon Bobcats Friday afternoon.

The Bobcats hit a season-high 22 three-pointers and scorched the scoresheet to keep their season alive for another day in a 106-94 win over the Fraser Valley Cascades in a Canada West conference play-in game at the Duckworth Centre.

The Bobcats made 48.9 per cent from three, the third straight game they've shot better than 40 per cent from distance. 

Five players scored in double figures, with Jahmaal Gardner leading the way with 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting and 4-for-8 from three. He added six rebounds.

Sultan Haider-Bhatti chipped in with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists; Anthony Tsegakele added 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Elisha Ampofo scored 18 points off the bench. 

The Bobcats trailed briefly in the first minutes of the game, but a 21-2 run over 3:14 took a modest 6-3 deficit and gave the Bobcats a 24-8 edge.

They scored 38 first-quarter points and led 61-45 at the half. 

The Cascades managed to chip away in the second half, trimming Brandon's lead to 88-85 with 6:08 to play. But a 10-2 Brandon run gapped the lead sufficiently for the Bobcats to roll to a first-round playoff win and a date with the Winnipeg Wesmen Saturday (2 p.m. CT). 

Chris Jackson's 24 points led the Cascades. Dario Lopez added 17, Matthias Kliam had 16 off the bench, Dylan Kinley added 12 and seven assists before fouling out, and Courtney Anderson finished with 10.

The Cascades made seven of 23 from three and shot 51.2 per cent from the field.