Jose Araujo has that familiar feeling.
When Araujo last appeared in the playoffs for the UNBC Northern Timberwolves, the team won its first-ever provincial title and followed up with a national championship. That was in 2010.
After one season away from basketball and the UNBC men's program, Araujo made his return this season and led the Timberwolves to a 13-3 record in the PACWEST Athletic Association. Now it's playoff time again and Araujo senses that the current version of the T-wolves has the ingredients to achieve the same levels of success as the 2010 club.
"We've got a great group of guys," said Araujo, a shooting guard who averaged a team-high 18.86 points per game in the 2011-12 campaign. "It reminds me a lot of our team before. The last team, we were deep on the bench and with this team we've got a lot of guys that can play ball -- we've got a deep bench again. It gives everybody that confidence that they can give it their all and know that one of the other guys can come in and the intensity won't drop."
Provincials are being held at Capilano University in North Vancouver. The Timberwolves are the No. 2 seed, behind the top-ranked Vancouver Island University Mariners of Nanaimo (15-1), who are also rated No. 1 in Canada. Both teams have byes to the semifinals on Friday.
Today, the T-wolves will be watching a quarterfinal game between the No. 3 Camosun College Chargers (10-6) and the No. 6 Douglas College Royals (7-9). UNBC will face the winner on Friday at 6 p.m.
During the season, the T-wolves had no problems with Camosun or Douglas. They beat the Chargers 97-64 and 117-77 and rolled past the Royals 92-74 and 84-56.
"Those are two teams that we beat before but we can't take them lightly," Araujo said. "They're good teams and they're going to be hungry. If anything, they're going to come out with more intensity because we've already beaten them.
"We have to play tough defence, maintain their bigs and their shooters and rebound and push the ball [on offence]."
As the top point-producer in the UNBC lineup, Araujo is ready for the extra attention Camosun or Douglas defenders are likely to pay him.
"I'm confident and prepared and ready for whatever they throw at us and I know my teammates are ready too," he said.
Today's other quarterfinal will see the fourth-seeded Langara College Falcons (10-6) take on the fifth-ranked Capilano University Blues (9-7). VIU will meet the winner on Friday at 8 p.m.
The championship game is scheduled for Saturday, also at 8 p.m.
The Timberwolves and Mariners have clashed in the last two provincial finals. After UNBC's victory in 2010, VIU won last year but both clubs still advanced to the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association national championship tournament.
This time around, there is only one berth in nationals, March 15-17 in Truro, N.S.
Araujo welcomes another potential B.C. championship game against the Mariners.
"If it happens that we meet up with them in the finals it would be a perfect situation," he said.
The Timberwolves are mostly healthy as playoffs arrive. But, one guy on the limp is six-foot-six post Gabe Aubertin. The Washington State product hasn't played since a Christmas tournament in Winnipeg, where he suffered a torn calf muscle. Head coach Todd Jordan said Aubertin will dress for provincials but his readiness for actual duty is in question.
"Right now we're pretty happy with our rotation with our post players so, knock on wood, unless an injury or something happens, I wouldn't anticipate Gabe having a real big impact for us," Jordan said. "But, you never know."
