The Pima Community College men’s basketball team (17-3, 9-3 in ACCAC) got back in the win column on Wednesday to begin the second half of the season.
· The No. 16 ranked Aztecs defeated Phoenix College 106-92 at the West Campus Aztec Gym, snapping their 2-game skid.
· Up 15-14, the Aztecs used a 16-0 run to take a 31-14 lead. The Aztecs took their biggest lead of the half at 53-29 with 3:43 left and led 59-41 at halftime. The Aztecs went 23 for 37 (.622) and 11 for 19 (.579) from downtown in the first half.
· The Bears (8-12, 3-9) cut into Pima’s lead early in the second half making it 68-53 but freshman Jamison Kay (Gila Ridge HS) converted on a four-point play to get it to 72-53. The Aztecs maintained their double digit lead for the rest of the game.
· Freshman Mike Pope finished with a game and season-high 25 points as he went 8 for 12 from the field and 6 for 8 from three-point range. He scored 14 points in the first half.
· Freshman Dillan Baker (Salpointe Catholic HS) posted 18 points, three rebounds and four assists.
· Sophomore Cesar Saenz (Sabino HS) closed it out with 15 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals while fellow sophomore Traivar Jackson had 15 points and four assists.
· Kay came off the bench and dropped 14 points on 4 for 6 shooting and was 3 for 5 from beyond the arc. Freshman Jaylen Alexander contributed with eight points and 11 rebounds.
· Pima finished 16 for 30 (.533) from beyond the arc for the game.
· The Aztecs swept the regular season meetings with the Bears as Pima won 110-99 on Nov. 30.
The Aztecs are back at the Aztec Gym on Saturday when they host Yavapai College at 2:00 p.m.