TRURO, N.S. - The Mohawk Mountaineers are looking to put an exclamation mark on their best men's basketball season in 40 years.

The Mountaineers take on Canada's top collegiate teams at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men's Basketball National Championship beginning Thursday at Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro, B.C.

Mohawk enters the tournament on a seven-game win streak, including four sudden death victories en route to its first OCAA championship since 1972. The Mountaineers eliminated OCAA East regional champion Centennial and three-time defending gold medalist Humber to win the OCAA title.

The Mountaineers are led by CCAA All-Canadian Aminu Bello (Hamilton, Ont.). The OCAA West region scoring champion averaged 24.4 points per game totaling 440 during the regular season. The fifth-year guard led the OCAA in field goals shooting 159-of-322, and free throws shooting 84-of-99. Bello is also an OCAA West Division first-team all-star and an OCAA tournament all-star.

Bello played "Robin" to Manny Campbell's "Batman" during the OCAA championship. Campbell (Burlington, Ont.) was named Tournament MVP, scoring 48 points and earning 15 assists while grabbing eight rebounds and completing six steals in three games. Prior to the tourney, the fourth-year guard was named an OCAA West region second-team all-star.

OCAA West coach of the year Brian Jonker saw his Mountaineers improve on its 2010-11 regular season record by two games, including wins over Humber, Sheridan and Fanshawe, all OCAA medalists the previous season. All but Sheridan repeated as medalists in 2011-12. Mohawk finished with a 13-5 regular season record, and has won 11 or more games in four of the past five seasons.

Mohawk enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed. The Mountaineers open the CCAA tournament on Thursday at 3 p.m. AT against the Quebec runner-up Vanier Cheetahs out of Montreal.

OCAA teams have won the CCAA championship 11 times since 1981, the last coming in 2002.

All games will be webcast on sportscanada.tv.

CCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Championship Website: www.ccaamensbasketball2012.ca

Seeding
1. UNBC Timberwolves (PACWEST champion/ Prince George, B.C.)
2. Mount Royal Cougars (ACAC champion/ Calgary, Alta.)
3. Indiens d'Ahuntsic (RSEQ champion/ Montreal, Que.)
4. Mohawk Mountaineers (OCAA champion/ Hamilton, Ont.)
5. Vanier Cheetahs (RSEQ silver/ Montreal, Que.)
6. St Thomas Tommies (ACAA champion/ Fredericton, N.B.)
7. MSVU Mystics (ACAA silver/ Halifax, N.S.)
8. Red Deer Kings (ACAC silver/ Red Deer, Alta.)

Schedule (all times AT)
Thursday, March 15
Game 1 - Red Deer Kings vs. UNBC Timberwolves - 1 p.m.
Game 2 - Vanier Cheetahs vs. Mohawk Mountaineers - 3 p.m.
Game 3 - MSVU Mystics vs. Mount Royal Cougars  - 6 p.m.
Game 4 - St Thomas Tommies vs. Indiens d'Ahuntsic - 8 p.m.

Friday, March 16
Game 5 - Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 - 1 p.m.
Game 6 - Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 - 3 p.m.
Game 7 - Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 (Semi-Final) - 6 p.m.
Game 8 - Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 (Semi-Final) - 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 17
Game 9 - Loser of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 6 - 10 a.m.
Game 10 - Loser of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 5 - 12 p.m.
Game 11 - Loser of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6 (7th/8th place) - 2 p.m.
Game 12 - Winner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 10 (Bronze Medal) - 6 p.m.
Game 13 - Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 8 (Gold Medal) - 8 p.m.

With files from Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association

- OCAA -

ABOUT ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) is a recognized leader in intercollegiate athletics in the province, dedicated to student athlete and sport development. The OCAA has 31 members sponsoring 16 league and tournament championships.

For additional information please contact:
Josh Bell-Webster
Marketing and Communications
Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
Tel: 416-426-7041
Fax: 416-426-7308
E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com