Information for this report provided by Pima’s media-relations department:
The Pima Community College men’s basketball team closed out the regular season on a high note on Tuesday at Eastern Arizona with a victory, clinching the top spot in next week’s NJCAA Region I, Division II tournament.
The No. 15 Aztecs (24-6, 16-6 in ACCAC) defeated the Gila Monsters 104-90.
With Pima’s win and Scottsdale’s overtime loss against Cochise, the Aztecs have claimed the No. 1 seed outright. Scottsdale finished 15-7 in league play.
The Aztecs will host No. 4 Phoenix College in the semifinals on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium. No. 3 Chandler-Gilbert will play at No. 2 Scottsdale in the other semifinal game at the same time.
The championship game is Friday at 7 p.m. Pima will host that game if it beats Phoenix College, which it swept during the regular season.
The Aztecs led 52-39 at halftime against Eastern Arizona (21-9, 14-8) and outscored the Gila Monsters 52-51 for the second half.
The Aztecs shot 57.5 percent (42-73) from the field and went 8 for 19 from beyond the arc.
Sophomore Traivar Jackson and freshmen Jaylen Alexander and Dillan Baker (Salpointe grad) combined for 77 points and shot 74 percent (32 for 43) from the field.
Jackson finished with a double-double of 33 points and 10 rebounds. He shot 13 for 19 from the floor and also finished with five assists.
Alexander was 11 for 12 from the field and posted 23 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists.
Baker closed out the game with 21 points after he went 8 for 12 from the field and 3 for 4 from 3-point range.
Sophomore Cesar Saenz (Sabino) finished with 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds while freshman Mike Pope added 11 points after going 3 for 5 from 3-point range.
The Aztecs’ 16-6 record in the ACCAC is their best record in conference since they went 17-5 in 2018-19.
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