EIGHT teams tip off this week all with the same goal: capturing the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association men’s national basketball championship.

The action gets underway Thursday (March 14) at Langley Events Centre with the gold-medal match scheduled for Saturday (March 16) at 7:30 p.m.

The quarter-finals begin Thursday with the following match-ups:

1:00 p.m.             Humber Hawks vs. Vanier Cheetahs

3:00 p.m.             VIU Mariners vs. SAIT Trojans

5:30 p.m.             Nomades de Montmorency vs. Sheridan Bruins

7:30 p.m.             Langara Falcons vs. Holland Hurricanes

Holland Hurricanes (Charlottetown, PEI)

Best finish: Silver (2013)

Last medal: Bronze (2018)

The Hurricanes have long been the class of the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association) as evidenced by their league record seven consecutive ACAA titles. And during this stretch, Holland has found the podium four times, taking silver in 2013 and bronze in each of the last three seasons.

Holland is in search of their first CCAA title and are coming off a 21-0 conference record.

Humber Hawks (Etobicoke, ON)

Best finish: Gold (2015, 2001, 1995, 1993, 1992, 1991)

Last medal: Silver (2016)

No CCAA team has won as many national championships as the Humber Hawks, who have six titles under their belt, the most recent coming four years ago.

The Hawks enter the CCAA national championships as the wildcard team from the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association after dropping their league’s gold-medal game 86-70 to the Sheridan Bruins.

Langara Falcons (Vancouver, BC)

Best finish: Gold (2014, 1999, 1998)

Last medal: Gold (2014)

The Langara Falcons are coming off a 9-9 regular season, good for fourth in the PACWEST, before losing in the league quarter-finals. The Falcons are the host squad for the CCAA championships.

Nomades de Montmorency (Laval, QC)

Best finish: (2017, 2006, 1996)

Last medal: Gold (2017)

Montmorency finished second during league play in the RSEQ with a 13-3 record before narrowly losing 73-71 to the Vanier Cheetahs in the championship final. The Nomades are the RSEQ’s wildcard team.

 SAIT Trojans (Calgary, AB)

Best finish: Gold (1982, 1986)

Last medal: Silver (2010)

The Trojans are coming off a 20-1 season which saw them capture their third consecutive Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference championship.

Sheridan Bruins (Oakville, ON)

Best finish: Gold (1985)

Last medal: Silver (2017)

After a 15-5 regular season saw the Sheridan Bruins finish second in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association West Division, the Bruins upset the defending national champion Seneca Sting in the OCAA semifinals and then the West Division-leading Humber Hawks 86-70 in the final.

Vanier Cheetahs (Montreal, QC)

Best finish: (2011, 1987)

Last medal: Gold (2011)

The Cheetahs posted a perfect regular season with a 16-0 record before edging the Nomades de Montmorency 73-71 in the RSEQ (Quebec Student Sport Federation) championship final.

VIU Mariners (Nanaimo, BC)

Best finish: Gold (2013)

Last medal: Silver (2015)

The Mariners were the top team in the PACWEST with a 16-2 record and the Nanaimo squad clinched their spot at nationals with a thrilling 89-82 victory over the Douglas Royals.