(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College women’s basketball team (20-11) advanced to the NJCAA Region I, Division II finals on Tuesday after holding off a late rally from Chandler-Gilbert Community College (16-15).
The No. 1 seeded Aztecs beat the No. 4 Coyotes 92-83. They will play No. 2 seed Mesa Community College in the finals for the 10th time in 11 years. The home team has won each meeting.
The Aztecs trailed 19-17 after the first quarter and took back a slim lead at 29-25 with 6:18 left in the second. The Aztecs proceeded to go on a 19-2 run to take a 48-27 lead as freshman Haile Gleason was a key contributor scoring 10 points on 4 for 4 shooting and 2 for 2 from three-point range.
The Aztecs led 85-65 with 4:19 left in the game but they could not stop MiKaila Kayanni-Lee as she finished seven 3-pointers for the game; five in the fourth quarter. She had 28 points. The Coyotes closed out the game on an 18-7 run.
Sophomores Jacqulynn Nakai (Coconino HS), Shauna Bribiescas (Dobson HS) and freshman Hallie Lawson (Campo Verde HS) combined for 72 points. Nakai scored a team-high 27 points with eight assists and six rebounds. Bribiescas fell a rebound short of a double-double with 23 points and nine rebounds. Lawson went 10 for 15 from the field and finished with 22 points.
The Aztecs will host the Thunderbirds on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. The winner heads to the NJCAA Division II Tournament in Harrison, AK.
CGCC 19 15 17 32 83
PCC 17 33 25 17 92
Courtesy of Pima Athletics
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