NEW YEAR, SAME SEASON

The OCAA women's basketball regular season will resume this Wednesday as 18 teams race for the 11 available post-season positions.

Only the Centennial Colts are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs as host of this year's belairdirect OCAA Women's Basketball Championship, taking place in Scarborough, Ont. from March 5-7.

Thirty-three days will have elapsed between OCAA regular season games, but teams have done their best to shake off the rust before resuming play.

Four OCAA teams crossed the provincial border into Quebec for the Dawson College Winter Classic, including Algonquin, Centennial, Humber and St. Lawrence-Kingston. The Humber Hawks faired the best out of Ontario, winning the bronze medal by defeating Sainte Foy of RSEQ on two separate occasions. Algonquin also earned a win over Sainte Foy, while St. Lawrence picked up Ontario's other win over Champlain St. Lambert, also of RSEQ. OCAA teams did not face each other at the tournament.

The Mohawk Mountaineers kept busy with a win over OUA's Waterloo Warriors 63-57. Fifth-year guard Rachelle Abella (Hamilton, Ont.) scored 13 points while adding seven assists.

The Niagara Knights hosted a mini-tournament with mixed results, defeating Seneca 59-43 before falling to Jamestown Jayhawks of the NJCAA 71-60.

FAB FIVE

Here are five upcoming regular season matches worth noting during the next seven weeks.

Fanshawe at Sheridan, Jan. 14 - The Sheridan Bruins have won six games against teams below them in the standings. Conversely, the Bruins have lost three teams ahead of them. Sheridan can make a move towards the top of the standings against seven-win Fanshawe.

Algonquin at St. Lawrence-Kingston, Jan. 17 - The undefeated Algonquin Thunder look poised for another regional championship and an automatic bye into the OCAA championship, but second-place St. Lawrence can throw a wrench into those plans with a win on home court.

Georgian at Seneca, Feb. 3 - With sub-.500 records, both Georgian and Seneca are looking for improvement in the second half. Georgian currently trails Seneca by one game for the sixth and final playoff spot in the east region. The winner of this one could earn a golden ticket into the post-season.

Durham at Loyalist, Feb. 20 - In the regular season finale for both programs, a victory could give one of these teams a home playoff game if the current standings hold to form. Both teams are part of a three-way tie for third in the east region at 5-3.

Humber at Mohawk, Feb. 20 - These teams started the regular season against each other, and will end it the same way. With these clubs currently atop the west region standings, this game will very likely decide a championship bye, and potentially a regional championship.

UPCOMING GAMES

Source: OCAA Communications