Arizona Western tops Mesa in NJCAA Game of the Week
Posted: Dec 07, 2022

Arizona Western tops Mesa in NJCAA Game of the Week

Mesa Community College
(5-4, 1-4)
68
AT
Arizona Western College
(11-2, 4-1)
85
Game Leaders
Mesa Community College
Pts: Timmy Johnson - 16
Reb: Nicholas Riley - 6
Ast: 2 Players (#2, #4) - 3
Arizona Western College
Pts: Isaiah Amato - 21
Reb: Yaxel Lendeborg - 13
Ast: 2 Players (#3, #11) - 3
Team Stats
Full stats

Wednesday, December 7, 2022 - 9:07 pm | Dylan DeVlieger

The men's basketball team lost their second game in a row to Arizona Western Wednesday night, 85-68. The T-Birds record falls to 5-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play.

In the NJCAA Game of the Week broadcasted on ESPN+ the Thunderbirds couldn't get their offense going in the first half as they tied their season low for first half points with 26. They shot just 27.6% from the field and 25% from deep.

Arizona Western shot the ball very well in the first half as they put up 49 points on 72% shooting from the field while hitting 50% of their three point attempts. 

Mesa did come out with fight in the second half as they outscored the Matadors 42-36 while improving their shooting from the field as they shot 45.9% from the floor and 33.3% from three.

The Matadors did a good job forcing contact and getting to the free throw line as they shot 27 free throws to Mesa's 17 and made six more than the T-Birds. Mesa's starters were the only players who scored in the first half as their first bench didn't come until the final half.

Overall, AWC shot 62.7% from the field while the Thunderbirds shot just 37.9% from the floor, a difference of 24.8%.

Timmy Johnson led the way for the T-Birds as he had 16 (12 in the second half), followed by Tampa Scott with 15, and Evan Clayton with 12. Taisei Kirahara posted a career high 11 points on 57% shooting from the field.

Mesa will travel for the next game on Saturday afternoon as they take on Glendale.