WINNIPEG – The No. 2 seeded Calgary Dinos and No. 3 seeded Winnipeg Wesmen put on a show in front of a capacity crowd at IGAC during game two of the Canada West semifinals, going to an extra session in an instant classic. 

With a passionate hometown crowd behind them, the Wesmen willed themselves to a 103-93 overtime win, returning to the Canada West championship and nationals (in Laval) for a second year in a row. They will face the two-time defending conference champs Victoria in a rematch from last season. 

Wesmen point guard Shawn Maranan set a Canada West and U of W single-game playoff assists record, with 18, while Mike Mikhailov had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, Donald Stewart had 20 points and Malachi Alexander also had 20, one shy of his career high (including five key points in overtime).

"Their guards [Nate] Petrone and [Noah] Wharton were a heavy load to handle tonight," said Maranan. "We were playing bad in the first half, but it was a two possession game. It was 43-37. We knew we just really had to lock in on the defensive end to get back into the game. We did that in the second half."

Calgary had six players score in double figures, led by dynamic guard Nate Petrone, with a game-high 26 points. 

Two of the nation's most elite guards lived up to the billing, as Maranan and Petrone combined for 25 points in the first half. 

They were at their best in the final two minutes of the second quarter. 

First, Maranan hit a deep corner three with Petrone in his face with 1:45 to go to narrow Calgary's lead to 40-33, but Petrone answered with a three all the way from Portage Avenue to bring the Dinos' lead back up to ten.

Maranan followed that up with a contested mid-range double, and Elijah Mensah sent the Wesmen into the half with energy, getting a contested double of his own –narrowing the score to 43-37 – in a game where both teams stayed true to their identity with excellent help defence and a combined five steals. 

The Dinos were the more efficient team in the first half, shooting 50 percent with 16 field goals. Five different players hit at least two field goals, including forward Spencer Roberts, who had four straight points in the latter stage of the second quarter. 

Winnipeg shot 36.6 percent, with five of their 15 field goals coming from distance - three from Maranan, while Mikhailov led all players with seven rebounds. 

The two sides exchanged runs in the third, with the Wesmen getting to as close as three thanks to 13 points in the quarter from Stewart. The forward drained three triples, all of which came on assists from Maranan, who had 12 entering the fourth, using an inside-out game efficiently.

With a chance to tie, Dylan Lutes, who had 12 points and five rebounds after three, blocked a Maranan shot from distance, leading to a Roberts bucket at the buzzer to make the score 69-64.

The fourth quarter was a track meet with multiple lead changes. 

Mikhailov scored ten points in the fourth, including a bucket with three Dinos draped all over him, giving the Wesmen a 77-75 lead with five minutes to go. 

A Roberts slam dunk gave the Dinos back a slim lead, but four points in a row from Mikhailov gave Winnipeg a three point cushion.

Petrone hit a layup, but Kato Jaro answered with a three for Winnipeg, giving the Wesmen an 84-80 lead with 1:15 to go. 

A deep two from Petrone and free throws from Wharton tied the game at 84 in the final 15 seconds, giving Maranan a chance to win it with the shot clock off.

But Maranan was defended well and his jumper didn't hit. Lutes came back the other way, however his shot from just beyond half court didn't fall, sending the game to overtime. 

The turning point in OT came with 2:43 to go. With the Wesmen up 90-86, the Dinos were called for a technical foul, allowing Maranan to hit a free throw, while giving the Wesmen possession again. Stewart missed a three, but Alexander grabbed the rebound and put it back, as the Wesmen went on a 9-0 run after the technical, including an Alexander three, sealing the deal in a ten point win.

"We got a stop and we turned the ball over a couple of times here and there," said Dinos head coach Dan Vanhooren. "That created all kinds of issues for us. I have to give credit to Winnipeg. They made the shots that they got." 

"Winnipeg played well. They deserved the win. I thought we were there most of the game. We had a chance to win. That would have been a huge win for our guys and our program based on what we have. We have everybody back, which bodes well for us [going into next year]."

The Dinos now move to Sunday's bronze-medal game against 12-seeded UNBC, scheduled for a 5 p.m. tip.

-UC-