Mesa Community College women’s basketball completes biggest comeback win in school history against Cochise College
The Mesa Community College women’s basketball team pulled off an incredible come from behind win Wednesday night against Cochise College, 78-75. Mykah Anderson hit a put back as time expired in regulation, but the grind to get themselves back in the game is something historic in itself.
The Thunderbirds did not get off to a great start against the Cochise Apaches, as they found themselves in an 11-0 hole just a few minutes into the game.
The T-Birds were then able to settle down after hitting a couple shots, but found themselves trailing 21-12 at the end of the first quarter.
The next two quarters were much more competitive, as MCC would go on runs here and there to cut the lead as much as they could.
However, Cochise would stave off large runs from the T-Birds and would take a commanding 15 point lead into the final quarter.
That’s when MCC would go on the historic run, outsourcing Cochise 28-13 in the last period.
In the first three quarters, Cochise shot the ball at a 52.7% rate from the field. But in the final period, MCC buckled down and forced them to score at just a 36.4% rate from the floor.
That defense, as well as shooting the ball at 52% from the field, led MCC to go on to have an improbable opportunity to tie the game with five seconds left and the ball under their own basket.
During a timeout, head coach Kori Stepehenson drew up an inbounds play for her team that would give AnnMarie Batista a shot to tie it on the block.
After a precious inbound pass from Anderson, Batista caught it,turned, and fired. The shot did not go in, but with quick action, Anderson snuck by two Cochise players, including their six-foot-five in center, to grab the offensive rebound.
With time running out, Anderson spun to her right and threw up a shot off the glass with less than a second to go that bounced off the glass and in, pushing the game to overtime.
In the five minute extra period, both teams fought back and forth.
With 1:13 left, MCC guard Nia Boston made a fast break layup high off the glass over an Apache to give her team a 75-73 advantage. After a Mykah Anderson foul, Cochise tied the game up with under a minute to go.
The two teams would trade empty possessions until MCC got a rebound with less than thirty seconds left and a chance to take the final shot.
After being fouled with seven seconds left, Nia Boston went one for two at the free throw line to put her team up 76-75 with six seconds left, Cochise took a time out to discuss their last second opportunity to win.
The Apaches came in and got the ball in the hands of their leading scorer, Maeva de laFortuna Ngnawo. After her shot fell short, an MCC rebound by Batista all but spelled victory for MCC. Batista would go on to hit both of her penalty free throws to put her team up 78-75.
With three seconds left Cochise would have to go the entire length of the floor to have a chance to extend the game, and they got a good shot as time expired.
After a long inbound pass to around half court the Apaches had two players in the front court with only one T-Bird to defend the shot. After electing to give up her chance at a three to tie, Deja Jones passed to Deyana Bogan in the corner who shot a three just as the buzzer went off which missed the hoop entirely.
MCC pulled off the biggest comeback victory in program history as they climbed out of a 15 point hole in the final quarter to upset their DI opponent to improve their overall record to14-3 and their ACCAC record to 9-1.
