Pima media-relations director Ray Suarez contributed information for this report:
The Pima Community College men’s basketball team closed out play in the Pima Fall Invitational on Saturday at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium with a 103-89 win over PHH Prep, finishing 3-0 in the weekend event.
The Aztecs (4-0) used a second-half run to maintain a double-digit lead against PHH Prep.
They averaged 121 points and beat their opponents by an average margin of almost 40 points.
Up 45-33 at halftime against PHH Prep, the Aztecs used a 15-4 run in the first four minutes of the second half to take a 60-37 lead. The Aztecs led by as many as 25 points and PHH Prep could not close within single digits.
Sophomore Jalen Alexander scored a team-high 26 points on 12-for-16 shooting and also had four rebounds and four assists. He went 25 for 32 (.781) from the field over the last three games.
Freshman Gabe Oldham produced a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds as he went 7-for-9 shooting and 7 for 10 from the foul line. He had two double-doubles this week and averaged 21.3 points and 9.3 rebounds.
Sophomore Dillan Baker (Salpointe) went 4 for 8 from three-point range and posted 18 points to go along with three steals, two rebounds and two assists. Freshman Cohenj Gonzales scored 16 points on 5-for-7 shooting and 3 for 5 from beyond the arc.
Sophomore Zach Williamson finished with eight points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
The Aztecs will open ACCAC conference play on Tuesday when they play Phoenix College at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The Pima women’s basketball team is 3-1 after suffering its first setback of the season on Saturday in the final day of the Gila Monster Shootout at Thatcher.
The No. 9 Aztecs (who are a Division II program) dropped their game to Salt Lake Community College (Division I) 67-60 and finished the invitational 2-1.
Pima trailed by two points at the end of the first quarter and got outscored 22-13 in the second quarter. They fell behind 33-22 at halftime. The Aztecs outscored the Bruins 38-34 for the second half.
Freshman Rylei Waugh finished with a game-high 23 points and fell short of a triple-double as she added eight rebounds and eight assists.
Sophomore Taina Lee hit three 3-pointers and closed out the game with nine points while freshman Rori Hoffmeyer posted six points and five rebounds.
The Aztecs went 9 for 12 from the free-throw line. They got out-rebounded by the Bruins 43-26.
After going scoreless in the first game of the season, Waugh bounced back in the Gila Monster Shootout, averaging 22.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.3 steals in the last three games.
The Aztecs will open ACCAC conference play on Tuesday when they play Phoenix College at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium at 5:30 p.m.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
The Pima Cmen’s cross country team finished in the top 10 for the first time since 2015 on Saturday at the NJCAA Division I National Championships.
The No. 14 Aztecs finished in ninth place out of 28 teams in the final team standings with a score of 280 at the John Hunt Cross Country Park in Huntsville, Ala. This was Pima’s best finish since 2015 when they also placed ninth.
Sophomore Abraham Valenzuela (Palo Verde) crossed the finish line in 31st place out of 199 runners as he finished the 8K (4.97-mile) race with a time of 25 minutes, 08.40 seconds.
Freshman Hall Griffith set a new season personal-best as he placed 38th with a time of 25:22.50. Fellow freshman Declan Jorgenson (Ironwood Ridge) closed out the race in 61st place and clocked his time at 26:12.80.
Freshman Louis Madrigal-Diaz set a season personal-record in the race as he finished the race in 68th with a time of 26:20.30 and fellow freshman Jace Schaub (Canyon del Oro) finished 82nd at 26:44.40.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
The Pima women’s cross country team finished 16th at the NJCAA Division I National Championships on Saturday in Huntsville.
The No. 17 Aztecs finished in 16th place out of 27 teams in the final standings with a score of 446. It was Pima’s best finish since 2018 when they also placed 16th in the final standings.
Four of the five scoring runners for the Aztecs finished with season personal-bests in the 5K (3.1-mile) race.
Freshman Reatta Danhof (Ironwood Ridge) was the top finisher for the Aztecs as she took 65th place out of 180 runners with a time of 19 minutes, 56.80 seconds earning a new season PR.
Freshman Maria Cruz (Mountain View) closed out the race in 74th place and earned a new season personal-best with a time of 20:21.70. Fellow freshman Linda Rivero (Desert View) also set a new PR when she crossed the finish line at 20:31.70.
Freshman Alyssa Perez clocked her time at 21:22.60 while freshman Sara Bredenkamp finished with a time of 21:29.30 earning herself a new season PR.
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