Second Half Surge Sends (#13) Thunderbirds To NJCAA DII Championship
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Pima Community College | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 58 |
|
Mesa Community College | 13 | 6 | 23 | 24 | 66 |
Pima Community College
| Game Statistics | Pima Community College | Mesa Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (17-55) | (22-75) |
| Field Goal % | 30.9% | 29.3% |
| Rebounds | 43 | 40 |
| Assists | 11 | 8 |
| Turnovers | 23 | 7 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 6 | 10 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 11 | 12 |
| Pts in the Paint | 16 | 26 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 0 | 12 |
| Bench Pts | 18 | 11 |
Saturday, March 5, 2022 - 10:51 pm | Derek Diesner
Mesa, AZ - The 13th ranked Mesa Thunderbirds used a strong second half; in which they outscored the 14th ranked Pima Aztecs 47-30, to claim the Region 1 Division II Championship on Saturday evening by a final of 66-58. With the win, the T-Birds are headed to the NJCAA DII Women's Basketball National Championship tournament in Port Huron, Michigan.
The 13th ranked Thunderbirds are now 22-7 overall and have won their last nine straight games. With the loss, the 14th ranked Pima Aztecs see their 2021-22 season come to a close with an overall record of 20-11.
As expected, both teams came out ready to go from the opening tip. There were nerves on each side of the court, but Mesa and Pima kept it close for the first ten minutes of action. After a quarter of play, the score was even at 13-13. Neither team shot well in the first quarter; Pima shot just shot 28% (4-of-14), while Mesa shot 31% (6-of-19) from the field. The T-Birds were 0-for-6 from beyond the three-point arc and were just 1-for-3 from the free-throw line. Pima kept themselves in the game from long range, as they finished the first quarter 3-for-5 from distance.
In the second quarter, Pima took control on both ends of the floor; outscoring Mesa 15-6, to take a 28-19 lead into halftime. The T-Birds made just three shots on 20 attempts. They were unsuccessful on all eight of their three-point attempts and did not have a single shot from the free-throw line. Pima's offensive struggles continued, but they were able to get to the free-throw line and make four of their six attempts.
The tide began to swing in the Thunderbirds' direction halfway through the third quarter. Mesa began to get into a rhythm on the offensive end and would outscore Pima 23-16 in the quarter. Following a rough first half; which included an 0-for-8 showing from the field in the second quarter, Jayla Johnson began to find her stroke. In the third quarter, Johnson led all scorers with six points on 2-of-5 shooting. She also added a steal and one rebound.
Pima took a 44-42 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Thunderbirds came out ready to accomplish their goal of a region title. The T-Birds defense went into lockdown mode, as the Aztecs were limited to 4-of-19 shooting in the final frame. Offensively, the Thunderbirds continued to attack the basket and were rewarded for the effort, to the tune of 15 made free-throws on 17 attempts. Mesa outscored Pima 24-14 in the final quarter to claim the Region 1, Division II title for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
Following the game, Jayla Johnson was named the Region 1 Division II Most Outstanding Player. She finished with a game-high 23 points, eight rebounds, two steals, and one assist. Johnson also sank a team-high 10 free throws on 14 attempts.
The Thunderbirds will now take some time to rest and wait to hear who their next opponent will be. The NJCAA DII Women's Basketball Tournament is scheduled for March 15-19 in Port Huron, Michigan. The NJCAA Division II Women's Basketball Selection Show is set for this Tuesday, March 8 at 1 PM Arizona time, and will air on the NJCAA Network.
Don't forget to check out the MCC Team Shop, as well as our Booster Club.
