sports

Pope scores season-high 25 points as Aztec men beat Phoenix

Posted Jan 25, 2023, 10:08 pm

Raymond Suarez
Pima Community College

Photo by Jasper SorensenFreshman Mike Pope scored a season-high 25 points as he went 6 for 8 from three-point range and helped get the Aztecs men's basketball team back on track with a 106-92 win over Phoenix College. The Aztecs are now 17-3 overall and 9-3 in ACCAC conference play.

The Pima Community College men’s basketball team (17-3, 9-3 in ACCAC) got back in the win column on Wednesday to begin the second half of the season.

The No. 16-ranked Aztecs defeated Phoenix College 106-92 at the West Campus Aztec Gym, snapping their 2-game skid.

Up 15-14, the Aztecs used a 16-0 run to take a 31-14 lead. The Aztecs took their biggest lead of the half at 53-29 with 3:43 left and led 59-41 at halftime. The Aztecs went 23 for 37 (.622) and 11 for 19 (.579) from downtown in the first half.

The Bears (8-12, 3-9) cut into Pima’s lead early in the second half making it 68-53 but freshman Jamison Kay (Gila Ridge HS) converted on a four-point play to get it to 72-53. The Aztecs maintained their double digit lead for the rest of the game.

Freshman Mike Pope finished with a game and season-high 25 points as he went 8 for 12 from the field and 6 for 8 from three-point range. He scored 14 points in the first half.

Freshman Dillan Baker (Salpointe Catholic HS) posted 18 points, three rebounds and four assists.

Sophomore Cesar Saenz (Sabino HS) closed it out with 15 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals while fellow sophomore Traivar Jackson had 15 points and four assists.

Kay came off the bench and dropped 14 points on 4 for 6 shooting and was 3 for 5 from beyond the arc. Freshman Jaylen Alexander contributed with eight points and 11 rebounds.

Pima finished 16 for 30 (.533) from beyond the arc for the game.

The Aztecs swept the regular season meetings with the Bears as Pima won 110-99 on Nov. 30.

The Aztecs are back at the Aztec Gym on Saturday when they host Yavapai College at 2 p.m.

Filed under

sports, basketball, college,

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(16) Pima CC Aztecs 106, Phoenix College Bears 92

PC 41 51 92
PCC 59 47 106

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Pope scores season-high 25 points as Aztec men beat Phoenix

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Pope scores season-high 25 points as Aztec men beat Phoenix