(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College women’s basketball team (10-2, 5-1 in ACCAC) earned its fifth straight win on Saturday after another highly contested match-up at Mesa Community College (5-4, 3-3).
The No. 7 ranked Aztecs defeated the Thunderbirds 70-64.
Mesa broke a tie with the first basket in the fourth quarter but the Aztecs got three-point baskets from freshman Angel Addleman (Palo Verde HS), freshman Torrance Begay (Page HS) and sophomore Melissa Simmons as Pima went on a 15-1 run to take a 65-53 lead with 3:24 left in the game.
Mesa cut into the lead with a 6-0 run of their own to make it 65-59 but freshman Luisayde Chavez (Rio Rico HS) knocked down a pair of free throws to put it back to an eight-point advantage at 67-59 with 45 seconds remaining. The Aztecs led 68-59 but Mesa went on a 7-0 run in 19 seconds capping it off with a three-point play as Pima led 68-64 with 07.3 seconds left. Simmons hit two free throws to seal it.
The Aztecs led 36-35 at halftime. The Thunderbirds scored the first four points in the third quarter to put Pima down 40-36. The Aztecs responded with a 14-4 run to take back the lead at 50-44 lead. Addleman scored eight points during that stretch. The Aztecs were held scoreless for the final 3:24 of the quarter as Mesa tied it at 50-50.
Addleman finished with a team-high 20 points as she went 8 for 13 from the field to go along with nine rebounds and five assists. Chavez posted 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.
Begay scored 11 points off the bench while sophomore Nikya Orange (Tanque Verde HS) contributed with seven points and 11 rebounds.
Freshman Matehya Aberle (Holbrook HS) had eight points and six rebounds and Simmons posted seven points.
The Aztecs will return to the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium for the Bruce Fleck Classic from Dec. 30-Jan. 1. The Aztecs will play Frank Phillips College on Thursday, December 30 at 7:00 p.m,
Pima 24 12 14 20 70
Mesa 16 19 15 14 64
