Matadors end regular season on high note
AWC spoils Pima’s shot at ACCAC title, now turns attention toward Region I playoffs
The Arizona Western men’s basketball team closed the regular season out Tuesday night with a 95-88 win over Pima, certainly a good note to enter the Region I playoffs on.
Pima (26-4, 18-4 ACCAC) entered the evening with a chance to clinch at least a share of the conference regular-season title, and had beaten the Matadors already once this season. But AWC (21-9, 166) jumped out to a 22-point lead in the first half, and was able to hold on thanks to an 8-0 run to close the game.
With the win, AWC finishes in third in the ACCAC standings; Pima settles for second, one game behind Phoenix.
But of most importance to the Matadors is that they’re first among the conference’s five NJCAA Division I teams, meaning home-court advantage will be theirs in the fourteam Region I playoffs that begin Saturday.
Alfonso Plummer led the Matadors with 21 points on 8 of 13 shooting (5 of 10 from 3), while Daryl Adams (19 points), Lamont Traylor (14), Marvin Mapaga (13) and Brandon McGhee (10) also all finished in double figures.
Traylor added a team-high eight rebounds, and McGhee had a teamhigh six assists.
AWC, which lost the teams’ first meeting 112-102 back on Jan. 20, led 52-36 at the half Tuesday.
That lead grew to 19 before Pima went on a surge capped by a 24-7 run that gave the Pumas a 75-69 lead with about eight minutes to go. But shortly after, AWC went on a 10-0 run to set the stage for the finish.
Down 88-87 with 2:18 to go, the Matadors scored on four consecutive possessions while holding Pima scoreless the rest of the way.
AWC will host a Region I semifinal Saturday.
JUCO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Pima 76, AWC 65
The loss snapped AWC’s sixgame winning streak, and leaves the Matadors (21-9, 6-6 ACCAC) as the No. 3 seed in next week’s Region I tournament.
Destiny Gonzalez (18 points, 6 rebounds) and Rei Imamura (16 points) were AWC’s leading scorers.
JUCO SOFTBALL Lady Mats get another sweep
The Arizona Western softball team beat South Mountain 8-6 and 11-8 Tuesday in Phoenix to extend its winning streak to nine games.
In the first game, AWC trailed 4-1 after five innings before putting up six runs in the top of the sixth to jump in front. Jessica Alvarez went 3-for-4, Allison Betty hit a three-run home run and Aylin Campa collected two RBIs. Makenna Stram was the winning pitcher, allowing six runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks in a complete-game effort; she struck out eight.
The Matadors (18-9 overall, 12-4 ACCAC) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second game, then pushed across six runs over the final three innings after South Mountain had tied it. Alvarez again led the Matadors with three hits, while Yassiel Lazo had two and three RBIs and Sam Jara Villegas homered. Koryne Coddington picked up the win, allowing eight runs (three earned) on 11 hits and four walks; she struck out six.
AWC next plays Saturday at home against Mesa.