TRURO, N.S. - Andrew Cicuttini scored 34 points and added 11 rebounds to lead the No. 4-seeded Mohawk Mountaineers to a 101-96 victory over the No. 5 ranked Vanier Cheetahs in their opening game of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men's Basketball Championship in Truro, N.S. on Thursday.
Mohawk got off to a bright start against the reigning champions
from Montreal and led 28-20 after the first quarter.
In the second period the Mountaineers led by 11 points a couple of
times, but the Cheetahs would not go away. In fact they battled
back and could have led at half time had they not missed a layup at
the buzzer. Mohawk went to the dressing room ahead 54-53.
Very early in the third quarter, Vanier took their first and what
turned out to be their only lead (57-56). But Mohawk responded with
a 7-0 run and after some key turnovers late in the quarter, a
three-pointer by Jeff Hunt gave the Mountaineers a
76-66 lead at three quarter time.
Mohawk increased it's margin to 13 points (87-74) with about seven
minutes remaining and appeared to have the game in hand, but Vanier
came charging back again.
Mohawk big man Taylor Dowhaniuk fouled out of the
game with just under four minutes to go, but Vanier had three
starters foul out and a couple of injuries which did not help them
in the latter stages of the game.
Vanier narrowed the deficit to 98-96 in the final minute, but
Mountaineer All-Canadian Amino Bello sank three
free throws to complete the scoring.
Cicuttini, who was Mohawk's player of the game, told sportscanada.tv
that the Mountaineers find ways to win. "We just kept playing
hard," said Cicuttini. "It's a do or die situation. We are all
hungry to get the first national (men's basketball) championship in
the school's history."
The Mountaineers now must go up against the top seeded team from
the University of Northern British Columbia, Friday at 5 p.m. UNBC
downed Red Deer College of Alberta, 88-65 in the championship
curtain-raiser.
All games will be webcast on sportscanada.tv.
Championship Website: www.ccaamensbasketball2012.ca
Source: Mohawk College with files from OCAA Communications