HAMILTON, Ont. – The No. 12 nationally ranked Mohawk Mountaineers men's basketball team rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Algonquin Wolves 86-79 on Saturday in an OCAA qualifying-round game.

The West Division's third-seeded Mountaineers came out firing from long range in the opening quarter, shooting 5-for-11 from three-point range. Mohawk led 12-5 three minutes in and extended the advantage to as much as 14 late in the frame before an Algonquin half-court buzzer-beater cut the lead to 29-18.

Algonquin trimmed the deficit to eight four minutes into the second quarter and continued to chip away, making it 47-43 with a minute remaining in the half. Mohawk took a 49-43 lead into the break.

The game began to slip away for the Mountaineers in the third quarter. With under four minutes remaining, Algonquin used a 13-0 run to take a 64-56 lead – its largest of the game. Mohawk trailed 66-60 after the third, shooting 2-for-15 from the field and scoring 11 points in the quarter.

Trailing 71-65 two minutes into the fourth, Dante Richards (Oakville, Ont.) hit a three-pointer and Eltom Adam (Hamilton, Ont.) converted an and-one to tie the game. Algonquin regained the lead at 76-74 with three minutes remaining, but the Mountaineers closed on a 12-3 run to secure the win.

Despite Algonquin shooting 48.5 per cent from the field, Mohawk responded with 13 made three-pointers and forced 21 turnovers, converting them into 23 points.

Jerry Jr. Mercury (Scarborough, Ont.) led all scorers with 24 points. Richards added 16 points off the bench, including four three-pointers, while Kazim Raza (Markham, Ont.) scored 13.

Mohawk will travel to Scarborough, Ont., to face the East Division's second-seeded Centennial Colts in a quarterfinal on Feb. 28. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.