(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College women’s basketball team (3-1) faced its first test in NJCAA Division II play on Thursday against Illinois Central College (2-2).
The No. 12 ranked Aztecs defeated the No. 15 Panthers 90-77 at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium.
The game featured 11 ties; seven in the first half. The Aztecs trailed 46-44 with 6:36 left in the third quarter but used a 15-6 run in three and a half minutes to go up 59-52. The Aztecs outscored the Panthers 31-19 in the quarter to take a 68-58 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Freshman Kiley Sours-Miller and Rori Hoffmeyer (Cibola HS) established their presence as they help Pima start the final quarter with a 10-0 run as the Aztecs held their biggest lead of the game at 78-58. The Panthers could not get closer than 12 points the rest of the game.
The Aztecs trailed in the first quarter but used a 12-2 run to take a 20-16 lead at the end. Illinois Central used the three-ball to retake the lead in the second quarter as they outscored Pima 16-6 in the first six minutes to take a 32-26 advantage. Freshman Ahdiayh Chee (Dobson HS) came off the bench and scored five straight points to give Pima a 33-32 lead. The Aztecs trailed 39-37 at the break but outscored the Panthers 53-38 in the second half.
Sours-Miller finished with a double-double of 29 points and 13 rebounds. She went 13 for 18 from the field. Hoffmeyer closed it out with 16 points and eight rebounds.
Freshman Melicia Nelson (Window Rock HS) had six points, 11 assists, five steals and three rebounds. Sophomore Kennedi Niemann posted nine points, four assists and three rebounds.
Sophomores Tayden Hanks, Mattanaya Vital (Amphitheater HS) and Chee each had eight points.
The Aztecs will get a little break in game play as they return to the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium on Wednesday to begin ACCAC conference play. They will go up against Phoenix College at 5:30 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
Click on Logo
