(Phoenix, AZ) The Pima Community College men’s basketball team (19-0, 7-0 in ACCAC) and Phoenix College (9-10, 1-6) tested each other from three-point range as both teams proved to be dangerous from beyond the arc on Wednesday in Phoenix.
The teams combined for 22 3-pointers, but it was the No. 5 ranked Aztecs, who came away with the 98-89 win for their 19th straight win.
The game was tied at 2-2 but the Aztecs led the rest of the way as sophomores Cohenj Gonzales (Mesquite HS) and Max Majerle (Arcadia HS) gave the Aztecs their first two double digit leads with their respected three-pointers almost halfway into the first half.
Up 28-21, freshman Mason Hunt (Bradshaw Mountain HS) provided a spark off the bench as he hit three 3-pointers during Pima’s 13-2 run to put them up 41-23. The Bears countered with a 9-0 run draining three 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to cut it to a single digit deficit. The Aztecs led 52-41 at halftime.
The Aztecs started out the second half with a 12-3 run in the first three minutes as Majerle’s basket put Pima up 64-44.
The Bears turned to their outside shooting as they hit five 3-pointers in the next four minutes, but the Aztecs continued to score and maintain their double digit lead.
With the score at 74-64 with 12:46 left, the Aztecs went on an 8-0 run with sophomore Gabe Oldham’s basket, Majerle’s three-pointer and Gonzales’ three free throws to make it 82-64 as Phoenix College’s three-point barrage cooled off.
The Bears scored the final seven points of the game and didn’t cut Pima’s double-digit lead until the end of the game.
Gonzales finished with a team-high 24 points as he went 7 for 8 from the foul line. Majerle closed out the game with 20 points. They each hit three 3-pointers in the game.
Oldham scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half while Hunt hit four 3-pointers in the first half and finished the game with 14 points.
The 89 points that Phoenix College scored was the second highest total Pima has given up this season. The Bears hit nine of their 12 3-pointers in the second half. The Aztecs drained 10 from beyond the arc.
The Aztecs finished the game 20 for 23 from the free throw line.
The Aztecs will return to the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium on Saturday against Chandler-Gilbert Community College. Tipoff is set for 4:00 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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