SMCC Men's Hoops Knocks Off Mesa CC for First ACCAC Win

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College men's basketball team (6-9, 1-6 ACCAC) defeated Mesa CC 76-61 in an ACCAC road contest on Wednesday, Jan. 10. Freshman Parker Escalante scored a season-high 25 points, sophomore Jaylen Wesley finished with 20, and sophomore Nyzhir Brown added 13 as the Cougars posted their first conference win of the 2023-24 season. 

The Cougars ran out to a 31-28 score at halftime after shooting 45.8 percent from the field. Escalante had 13 points, and Wesley posted 11 in the frame to lead SMCC. 

After MCC crawled back to within 35-34 with 18 minutes to play, the Cougars went on a 19-9 run over the next eight minutes to take a 59-43 lead after a basket from freshman Torian Gant. From there, the Cougars maintained a double-digit lead that swelled to as many as 19. 

SMCC shot 54.9 percent from the floor (28 of 51) and made 17 of 23 (73.9 percent) free throws. The Cougars added 31 rebounds, 12 assists, five steals and four blocks in the victory. 

Escalante finished 8 of 12 from the floor and 9 of 10 from the free-throw line. He also recorded two rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block in 35 minutes. He is averaging 13.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game in 15 contests this season. 

Wesley shot 8 of 14 from the field and made four free throws. He added eight rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes and has scored at least 20 points in every game this season. He is averaging 27.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in 15 contests this season. 

Brown connected on three 3-pointers and added four rebounds in 34 minutes, and Gant posted six points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 33 minutes. 

Freshman Jayven Driscoll had four points and five rebounds, and freshman Nathan Robinson and sophomore Coleman Anderson scored four points off the bench.