The Winnipeg Sea Bears tightened their defence down the stretch and defeated the Saskatoon Mamba 96-83 on Wednesday night at Merlis Belsher Place.
Late defensive push decides it
Winnipeg limited Saskatoon to a small return following the target-score break, a sequence that finished off the Mamba’s comeback hopes. The Sea Bears led 87-80 at that break and then closed the game by outscoring Saskatoon in the final phase to preserve a 13-point victory.
“The Sea Bears held the Mamba to only three points in target score,”
Saskatoon had rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to tie the game 66-66 with 2:45 left in the third quarter, but Winnipeg responded by outscoring the home side to take control late in the third and extend the advantage early in the fourth.
Key performers
- Jamal Fuller led the Mamba with 20 points and added six rebounds.
- Jamir Chaplin scored 19 points and Jaden Clayton contributed 13.
- For Winnipeg, Teddy Allen paced the team with 17 points and 11 rebounds; D.J. Burns added 19 points and six boards.
The loss drops Saskatoon to 7-6, leaving them 3½ games back in third place in the Western Conference. Winnipeg improves to 11-6, sitting a half-game ahead of the Vancouver Bandits for top spot in the conference.
Stat summary
| Team | Score | Notable leaders |
|---|---|---|
| Saskatoon Mamba | 83 | Fuller 20, Chaplin 19, Clayton 13 |
| Winnipeg Sea Bears | 96 | Allen 17/11, Burns 19 |
What’s next for the Mamba
Saskatoon will travel to Calgary to face the Surge on Sunday with tip-off at 4 p.m. Their next home game is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place.
The team will need to shore up late-period offence and defensive execution if it hopes to climb back into closer contention in the Western Conference over the coming week.
