T-Birds top Pima to win Division II championship
The Mesa Community College women’s basketball team won the Region I, DII championship in a tightly contested game against Pima Community College Saturday night.
Theo Heap Gymnasium on campus at MCC was jam packed with both Pima Aztec and Mesa Thunderbird fans. The anticipation before the game was almost palpalable all the way to tip-off.
Once the ball went up at mid court, the true madness began.
The first quarter was a back and forth match, as both teams were able to lock in defensively and force their opponent out of rhythm. In the second quarter, the Aztecs were able to gain some momentum with some timely three pointers and aggression on the boards.
In the second quarter Pima outrebounded Mesa 16-7, and outscored them 15-6 to take a 29-18 point lead into the locker room.
In the halftime locker room the Mesa coaching staff encouraged their players, reminding them to play the type of game they had been playing all year that got them to this point. The positive reinforcement worked wonders on the team, preparing them for a big second half.
“The staff did a really good job, we sat down, looked at the whole situation and motivated us and gave us positive feedback which helped us when we came back during the second half,” said Region I Division II tournament Most Outstanding Player Jayla Johnson.
Coming out of the locker room, it seemed as if the T-Birds were beginning to turn the tide and gain momentum. Outsourcing the Aztecs 23-16 in the third, they had cut their deficit to two going into the final quarter.
MCC took control in the fourth quarter,going on offensive runs and making defensive stops that turned the game in their favor. Getting back to the fundamentals of defense and rebounding, they were able to take the lead and never looked back.
The T-Birds would go on to win the game with a final score of 58-66.
With the biggest home game of the season, and a championship title on the line, the T-Birds did not disappoint. They did, however, get help from their crowd which had its own representation of MCC athletics.
With the goal of supporting their fellow student athletes MCC, the golf, baseball, softball, and basketball teams packed into the stands to cheer the T-birds on to victory. The atmosphere made the game more intense in certain moments, like a big three pointer being sunk or key defensive stop.
“It was fun. This game is always a big game…Mesa and Pima are one of the unheard rivalries that’s one of the biggest in the state,” said assistant coach Sam Stevens, “you get to the championship game and it’s going to magnify it that much more.”
The Thunderbirds, as usual, were led by their DII Player of the Year Jayla Johnson who led all scorers with 23 points, 10 of which came at the free throw line.
The victory ,however, was a team effort which saw all players contribute in one way or another.
Stacey Begay, who had suffered a knee injury, came in for small close out moments at the end of quarters and provided an emotional spark to the team as she got a deafening ovation from the crowd when she checked into the game.
This championship marks the 10th in school history, dating back to the ‘98-’99 season. The team now prepares for the NJCAA National Tournament which will take place March 15-19 in Port Huron, Michigan.
The Thunderbirds have finished in the top 10 on six different occasions in the National Tournament, including in the 2013-2014 season when they won the tournament and were crowned National Champions.
