PIMA – It’s been a strong week for Pima basketball, as both the girls’ and boys’ teams secured playoff victories to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2A State Tournament.
Monday Night: #6 Pima Girls Dominate Horizon Honors, 58-26
The #6 Pima girls used a dominant second half to cruise past #11 Horizon Honors on Monday night, earning a 58-26 victory in the opening round of the 2A Girls State Tournament.
Pima led 12-10 after the first quarter, but Horizon Honors edged ahead 19-18 at halftime. Coming out of the locker room, the Roughriders erupted for a 22-0 third-quarter run, taking complete control of the game. Pima outscored Horizon Honors 40-7 in the second half, turning a close contest into a blowout.
Macy Allred led the way for Pima with 19 points, while Kelsi Brimhall added 10 points. Adysen Hoopes was a force inside, finishing with 8 points and 9 rebounds.
For Horizon Honors, Audrianna Anglada put up 14 points and 6 rebounds, but her team struggled to score against Pima’s suffocating defense in the second half.
With the victory, Pima advances to the quarterfinals, where they will face #3 Fountain Hills on Friday, February 21, at 7 p.m. in a tough road matchup.
Tuesday Night: #5 Pima Boys Pull Away Late, Beat Phoenix Christian 64-48
The #5 Pima boys followed up the girls’ win with a strong performance of their own on Tuesday night, taking down #12 Phoenix Christian 64-48 in the 2A Boys State Tournament.
The game was competitive early, with Pima leading 14-13 after the first quarter and extending their advantage to 27-20 at halftime. Phoenix Christian kept it close, trailing 45-39 heading into the fourth, but Pima took over in the final period, outscoring the Cougars 19-9 to secure the win.
Preston Russell delivered a standout performance, finishing with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Keegan Corona added 16 points, while Charlie Richardson contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds. Pima dominated the glass, outrebounding Phoenix Christian 25-13, which proved to be a key factor in the victory.
For Phoenix Christian, Malakhai Moore-Neal (17 points) and Elijah Kairy (15 points) led the scoring effort, but their team struggled to keep pace late.
With the win, Pima advances to face #4 Rancho Solano on Saturday at 6 p.m., where they will look to keep their postseason run alive.
