By: Henry Robichaud
Jacqulynn Nakai has another Pima Women’s Basketball record with her 9th ACCAC player of the week honors. During the week her averages were 30 points eight rebounds and five assists. She has been on fire this year leading the ACCAC in scoring averaging a monstrous 24.1 points per game.
On Feb. 23, The No. 16 ranked Aztecs defeated the Phoenix College Bears and swept the regular season meetings between the two teams after a 90-79 win. It was their seventh win in the last nine games. The Aztecs beat the Bears 105-95 last month in Phoenix.
The Aztecs started the game fast opening on a 19-4 run, and then led 30-13 at the end of the first quarter. Pima 10-14 from the field in the quarter.
The Aztecs maintained a double digit advantage throughout the second and third quarters. The Bears slowly chipped away then the Aztecs found themselves up eight points at 65-57 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Pima then regained their double digit lead on their next possession and never gave it up again.
Sophomore Jacqulynn Nakai scored a game-high 25 points with seven assists. Fellow sophomore Shauna Bribiescas shot 8 for 11 from the field and finished with 21 points and seven rebounds.
On Feb. 20, the No. 16 ranked Aztecs defeated Chandler-Gilbert Community College 81-62 and clinched the No. 1 seed for the NJCAA Region I, Division II tournament. Cochise College beat South Mountain Community College to seal it for Pima.
The Aztecs had a big second quarter outscoring the Coyotes 24-9 and taking a 45-27 lead into halftime. The Aztecs continued the onslaught with a 13-2 run to open the third quarter and held their biggest lead at 58-29.
Sophomore Shauna Bribiescas had her eighth double-double as she posted 24 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman Hallie Lawson scored nine points and sophomore Brianna Pitre had eight points.
Sophomore Jacqulynn Nakai broke Tia Morrison’s career scoring record with a three-pointer at the 3:55 mark in the second quarter. Morrison held the record since 2010. She finished the game with 32 points on 11 for 18 shooting. Nakai now has 1,213 points for her career. She also finished with eight assists.
On Feb. 16 the No. 17 ranked Aztecs fell to the South Mountain Community College Cougars by the final score 89-87. The Aztecs now hold on to just a one-game lead over South Mountain for the No. 1 seed at the Region I, Division II tournament with three games left in the regular season.
At the end of the 3rd quarter the Aztecs were trailing 77-67, then they went on a run to start the fourth leaving them tied with 1:20 left in the game.
Sophomore Shauna Bribiescas finished with a game-high 29 points on 12 for 20 shooting. She also grabbed eight rebounds. Sophomore Jacqulynn Nakai posted 23 points as she went 4 for 8 from long range. She also had seven rebounds. Freshman Hallie Lawson scored 10 points with six boards. Sophomores Brianna Pitre and RyLeigh Long each contributed with nine points. The Aztecs split the regular season meetings with the Cougars. Pima won 108-63 last month at the West Campus Gym. This performance by Nakai left her just 13 points away from Tia Morrisons record for most points in pima history.
On Feb. 13th, the No. 17 ranked Aztecs defeated the Mesa Community College Thunderbirds 78-70. It was Pima’s 10th win in their last 12 games. The Aztecs took their biggest lead of the game of 12 points with 4:17 left.
The Aztecs swept the Thunderbirds as they won 80-60 last month at the West Campus Gymnasium.
Sophomore Jacqulynn Nakai finished with a game-high 37 points as she went 9 for 15 from the field and 5 for 7 from three-point range. She was also 14 for 16 from the free throw line. She now sits at 1,158 career points and is 36 points away from Tia Morrison’s record of 1,194.
Sophomore Shauna Bribiescas had a big game with her seventh double-double as she finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds to go along with two blocks.
The Aztecs look to keep the impressive performances going as the head into the NJCAA playoffs as a No. 1 seed in the in Region 1 of Division 2.
On Deck
The Women’s team locked up the number one seed in Region I of the Division II NJCAA playoffs and look to make a splash in the playoffs.