Women’s basketball wins; men lose to TOCC
Mesa Legend
Women’s Basketball
Coming off a loss to Eastern Arizona College due to costly turnovers the Lady T-Birds won their final regular season game against Tohono O’odham Community College. Megan Gillespie (MCC) and Kamari Minor (TOCC) for the opening tip, Mesa won the tip and has control. Two minutes have come off and Mesa leads 3-0 after a three pointer by Lacey Viselli. So far both teams have been turning the ball over. At the halfway point in the first half Mesa was up, 18-0. Still no one can get shots to fall even though Mesa is now up by 25, six minutes until the half. Cherokee Davis knocks down a three to give Mesa a 31 point lead and so far keeping TOCC off the board.
After sixteen minutes of play TOCC Rebecca Herrera pulls up and gets the first points of the night. At halftime Mesa had a 33-9 lead over TOCC. Rebecca Herrera and Brittany Loguidice provided TOCC with the nine points in the first half. Lacey Viselli lead the T-Birds with 11 points in the first half. Four players had two assists in the first half for the Mesa T-Birds. Mesa ended the half shooting 35% versus TOCC 6% shooting. Erica Vasquez hits the two to begin the second half.
Photos by Tanya Ritko
After two minutes of play TOCC is able to shoot and score a two the score was now 35-11. With two minutes left in the regular season the Lady T-Birds have a twenty-point lead, 59-29 after TOCC has gone on a 12-0 run. Mesa won the game 60-41 over TOCC. Lacey Viselli lead the Lady T-Birds with 14 points overall in the whole game. Kylie Herd ended the game with four assists and Megan Gillespie pulled down 8 rebounds. Only scoring 30% the Lady T-Birds still pulled off this win to close out regular season play.
Men’s Basketball
Riding a six game win streak the Mesa T-Birds came into the game looking to knock Tohono O’odham Community College out of the fourth seed. Kyle Bingham (MCC) and Lamar Walker (TOCC) for the opening tip; Mesa won the tip and has control. Jordan Pratt pulls up and shoots and knocks down the two giving the T-Birds an early 2-0 lead.Just like that Nahjee Matlock for TOCC answers on the other side of the court with a three pointer, 3-2 TOCC. Three minutes in to the game and MCC scores again, 4-3 Mesa, TOCC ball. Just like in the Women’s game both teams have been turning the ball over on each side of the court.
Halfway through the first half MCC is up 25-10. Two minutes left in the half and Mesa’s lead was cut to two, 36-34. At the half Mesa is up 42-36. For TOCC Nahjee Matlock lead the team in points. While TOCC only shot 30% in the first half compared to MCC’s 54%. For Mesa Andrew Jones lead the team with 9 points in the first half. Meanwhile Khari Holloway pulled down 4 rebounds and had 7 assists. Mesa had the ball to start the first half but could not capitalize and missed their shot.
Midway though the final regular season game MCC was only up by 10, 61-51. With the final two minutes MCC was only hanging onto a four-point lead, 72-68. In the last few minutes MCC barely was hanging on to their lead and time was running out and a costly turnover gave TOCC the ball with 32 seconds left in the game and the final possession if they choose to have it. Jessie Brown wide open, puts up the shot and its go TOCC by one with one second left in the final game of the regular season. Mesa attempts a half court shot no good TOCC wins the game by 1 point, 77-76.
Khari Holloway lead the Mesa T-Birds with 14 points and 8 assists. Mitch Burnett pulled down 8 rebounds for the MCC T-Birds in the loss. “Even though for the Men this game had no baring on their season they still put up a good fight up until the end,” said John Mulhern Director of Athletics. “Looking back on the game I think we needed to get tougher and play better defense in the game,” said Mesa T-Bird Charles Wardell Jr.
For the Men, they finished the season 20-8 and in conference play they were 17-5.On the other side the Women finished 19-10 and in conference play they were 14-8.Next up, both teams will play playoff games in hopes of coming out champions this season.
