BRANDON – The Brandon Bobcats split a hard-fought doubleheader against their provincial rivals, the Winnipeg Wesmen, on Saturday night at the Healthy Living Centre.
The Bobcats women's team (5-9) put together a complete performance to secure a convincing 77-61 victory, while the men's squad (7-7) couldn't withstand a potent Wesmen offence, falling 96-79 despite a spectacular shooting display from rookie Munroop Gill.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Bobcats 77, Wesmen 61
Sophomore guard Macaya Copeland played one of the best games in recent memory, and rookie Ella Averill was a force in the paint as the Bobcats controlled the contest from the opening tip to take down Winnipeg.
Copeland was electrifying, pouring in a game-high 29 points on 10-of-20 shooting. The Hopkins, Minnesota native filled the stat sheet, adding seven assists and four steals in 30 minutes of action.
She was supported by a dominant interior performance from Averill. The first-year forward recorded a massive double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds, shooting an efficient 8-of-13 from the floor.
"We came out with great energy in the first quarter and set the tone defensively," said Bobcat's Womens coach Ilarion Bonhomme.
Brandon jumped out to a 23-13 lead after the first quarter and never trailed. Veteran Jayna Maytwayashing controlled the glass all night, pulling down a game-high 16 rebounds to go with nine points. Senior Piper Ingalls chipped in with a versatile line of 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
The Bobcats' defence held Winnipeg to just 32.1% shooting from the field. The Wesmen were led by Jazmin Birch, who scored 18 points in the loss.
MEN'S BASKETBALL: Wesmen 96, Bobcats 79
In the late game, the Bobcats ran into a hot-shooting Winnipeg squad that proved too much to handle.
Despite the loss, the night belonged to Bobcats rookie Munroop Gill. The freshman guard was nearly unstoppable, scoring a career-high 31 points on an incredible 15-of-20 shooting performance. Gill battled all game, adding seven rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes.
The Bobcats trailed 44-37 at halftime but saw the Wesmen pull away in the third quarter behind the shooting of Kato Jaro, who led the visitors with 28 points including six three-pointers.
Sultan Haider Bhatti battled hard in the paint for Brandon, pulling down a team-high 13 rebounds and dishing out six assists, though he was held to 8 points. Max Winters also reached double figures for the Bobcats, finishing with 12 points and seven assists.
Winnipeg's depth and perimeter shooting (13-of-33 from deep) were the difference makers, as they maintained a double-digit cushion throughout the final frame.
UP NEXT
The Bobcats will enjoy a bye week before hitting the road to Calgary. They will look to get back in the win column when they visit the Mount Royal Cougars for a weekend set starting Friday, January 23.
Fans can watch the road action live on CanadaWest.tv.
