T-Birds fall in Fiesta Bowl JC Shootout final, 65-59
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
San Bernardino (19-2) | 29 | 36 | 65 |
|
Mesa Community College (8-4) | 27 | 32 | 59 |
San Bernardino
| Game Statistics | San Bernardino | Mesa Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (20-51) | (21-41) |
| Field Goal % | 39.2% | 51.2% |
| Rebounds | 24 | 27 |
| Assists | 4 | 12 |
| Turnovers | 7 | 14 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 19 | 8 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 10 | 7 |
| Pts in the Paint | 30 | 16 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 2 | 0 |
| Bench Pts | 9 | 18 |
MESA, AZ - Mesa's bid for a second straight Fiesta Bowl Junior College Shootout title fell short Monday, as the T-Birds dropped a 65-59 decision to San Bernardino.
MCC (8-4) had fallen behind at halftime in the first two games of the Shootout but rallied for victories. It was unable to do it against SBVCC (19-2) which maintained a slim lead through much of the second half.
The T-Birds got off to a slow start, trailing by ten in the first half, 24-14 at the 7:12 mark. However they cut the deficit to just two at the break, 29-27.
Mesa jumped in front for the first time in the game, 38-35, on a three-pointer by Charles Wardell (So., Milwaukee, Wisc/Northwest Secondary H.S.) at the 14:20 mark of the second half. It built its margin to 40-35 on a pair of free throws by Nate Jimerson (Fr., Bullhead City, AZ/Mohave H.S.) but then saw the Wolverines reel off ten unanswered points to take the lead.
MCC surged in front once, when Wardell canned a jumper with 2:00 left. Charles Calison answered 16 seconds later and San Bernardino which never trailed again.
Wardell led all scorers with 16 points, while Khari Holloway (So., Jackson, Miss/Mountain Pointe (AZ) H.S.) had 14 and Jordan Pratt (Fr., Mesa, AZ/Red Mountain scored 11.
Wardell and Holloway were named to the all-tournament team along with Callison and Khleem Perkins from the Wolverines and Malik Thames of Central Arizona.. SBVCC's Todd Lewis was named MVP.
Mesa will host South Plains (Texas) Saturday at 3:30 p.m, a late game-time change.