Courtesy of Pima Athletics
Tucson, AZ – The Pima Community College men’s basketball team (30-4) gained a couple more milestones for the program on Wednesday after winning its NJCAA Division II Tournament quarterfinal game.
The No. 2 seeded Aztecs defeated No. 10 Highland Community College 103-88 earning their first berth into the final four in men’s basketball program history. It is also the first time the program has 30 games in a single season.
The Aztecs took a 15-13 lead with 13:53 left in the first half and the three-point shooting came into effect. Freshman Jeremiah Bailey knocked one down from the outside and sophomore Keven Biggs hit back-to-back treys on consecutive possessions. The Aztecs turned it into a 14-2 run in a little over three minutes to take a double digit lead at 29-15. Pima led 49-37 at halftime.
The Aztecs’ quickness and energy wore down the Scotties (26-8) in the second half as they maintained a double digit lead throughout and led by as much as 23 points at 73-50 when Bailey hit a three-pointer with 11:29 remaining.
The Scotties cut into the lead late and got as close as 11 points at 95-84 with 1:30 left in the game.
After scoring just three points on 1 for 9 shooting in the first round against Southern Maryland, Biggs came back with a force as he finished with a game-high 34 points on 12 for 21 shooting and 9 for 16 from three-point range. He produced a one-handed highlight dunk early in the second half to make it 57-41. He also had four rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.
Bailey came off the bench and took over as he scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half. He went 9 for 10 from the field and 3 for 4 from three-point range. He also had seven rebounds.
Sophomore Isaiah Murphy (Cienega HS) was the other Aztec who scored in double figures as he finished with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists. Sophomore Ilunga Moise (Raymond S. Kellis HS) had seven points and 11 rebounds. He has 35 rebounds in his last three games.
The Aztecs will face the winner of No. 14 seed Arkansas State University Mid-South and No. 11 seed Delta College (MI) quarterfinal game on Thursday night. The semifinal game will be on Friday at 8:30 p.m. (CDT), 6:30 p.m. Tucson time.
HCC 37 51 88
PCC 49 54 103
