They haven't always made it look easy, but the Winnipeg Wesmen are heading into the break among the tops in the Canada West.

Kato Jaro scored a career-high 23 points and the Wesmen men's basketball team held off a Manitoba rally to beat the Bisons 76-71 in a semester-ending conference game Friday night a the Investors Group Athletic Centre. 

The Wesmen now enter the holiday break at 7-3, a game back of first-place Alberta in the Prairie Division. The No.7-ranked Wesmen have the fourth-best winning percentage in the Canada West heading into 2026. 

The Wesmen led 67-62 with under 40 seconds to go, but the Bisons got a three from Brandt Lenz, a stop on the next possession and then scored on a putback from Cieran O'Hara as the buzzer sounded to force overtime. 

In the extra period, Ryan Luke hit a three 56 seconds in and the Wesmen never trailed after that. They held Manitoba (5-5) to just one made field goal in overtime and the Bisons shot more free throws (six) thann field goals (three) in the final five minutes. 

Tito Obasoto hit a midrange jumper with 2:35 to go that brought the Bisons to 70-69 down but Manitoba didn't register another point until Darin Watts split a pair of free throws with 25 seconds remaining that made it 74-71 in Winnipeg's favour. 

Jaro scored 16 of his game-high total in the first half, including 10 in the second quarter when the Wesmen outscored the hosts 22-13. Donald Stewart had a season-high 13 points along with five rebounds, four assists and a career-high-matching three steals. 

Emmanuel Ugbah added 12 points and six rebounds, along with season-highs with five assists and three steals. Alberto Gordo scored 11 as Winnipeg's Starting 5 outscored Manitoba's starters 68-58.

The Bisons got 20 from Watts, 18 from Lenz and 10 — on 3-for-13 shooting — from Ramogi Nyagudi.