WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RALLIES LATE TO DOWN SCOTTSDALE AND ADVANCE TO REGION CHAMPIONSHIP
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Scottsdale Community College | 23 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 73 |
|
Mesa Community College | 12 | 17 | 14 | 22 | 6 | 16 | 87 |
Scottsdale Community College
| Game Statistics | Scottsdale Community College | Mesa Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (28-75) | (29-74) |
| Field Goal % | 37.3% | 39.2% |
| Rebounds | 39 | 43 |
| Assists | 18 | 16 |
| Turnovers | 21 | 15 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 17 | 20 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 2 | 12 |
| Pts in the Paint | 32 | 28 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 2 | 2 |
| Bench Pts | 25 | 29 |
No. 2 seeded Mesa Community College Women's Basketball delivered a dramatic comeback Wednesday night, defeating No. 3 Scottsdale 87-73 in double overtime in the NJCAA Region I Division II Semifinals at Theo Heap Gym.
After trailing for much of the contest, the Thunderbirds surged late and outscored Scottsdale by 24 points over the final 20 minutes of game time, including both overtime periods, to punch their ticket to the region championship.
Scottsdale controlled the early stages, jumping out to a 23-12 lead after the first quarter and maintaining its advantage through the middle portion of the game. Mesa gradually chipped away cutting the lead to 10 going into the final quarter before delivering a decisive fourth-quarter push. The Thunderbirds outscored the Artichokes 22-12 in the fourth quarter to erase the deficit and force overtime.
End of Regulation
In the closing seconds of regulation, Lakeisha Robinson worked the clock down before driving to the basket and converting a layup to give Mesa a 65-63 lead with just four seconds remaining.
Scottsdale quickly used a timeout. After Amya Bekele committed her final foul, the Artichokes earned a difficult look in the lane. The shot bounced high off the rim and backboard before dropping through, sending the game to overtime tied at 65-65.
First Overtime
The first overtime period remained tightly contested. Scottsdale briefly grabbed a 69-67 lead with under 2:30 remaining, but Robinson tracked down a loose ball and finished to tie the game at 69-69.
The Artichokes again went ahead by two following a transition layup with just over a minute left. After Mesa missed a three-pointer, Scottsdale had an opportunity to push the lead to two possessions with less than a minute remaining. A key defensive stand forced a turnover, giving the Thunderbirds another chance.
With time winding down, Mesa once again turned to Robinson. The freshman guard worked her way near the free-throw line and knocked down a clutch jumper to even the score.
Scottsdale used a timeout and found an open look in the lane for the potential game-winner, but Robinson raced over and blocked the shot at the last second, sending the game into a second overtime.
Second Overtime
Though Scottsdale had 11 shot attempts in the period compared to Mesa's five, the Artichokes went cold, shooting just 11.1 percent. Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds caught fire, shooting 60 percent during the decisive stretch.
Carmella Gallardo sparked the surge with two three-pointers and two free throws, while Meisha Caserio added six points, all from the free-throw line. Mesa dominated the final five minutes, outscoring Scottsdale 16-2 to close out the comeback victory.
Gallardo finished with 24 points, going 4-for-5 from three-point range and 8-for-8 at the free-throw line. Robinson added 23 points and six rebounds, while Caserio totaled 13 points, six rebounds, and six assists.
Sydnee Patterson contributed 10 points and five assists, and Maddy Brown led the rebounding effort with 12 boards as Mesa held a 43-39 edge on the glass.
With the win, the No. 2 seed Thunderbirds advance to the NJCAA Region I Division II Championship, where they will face No. 1 Pima on Friday at Pima Community College, tip at 7 p.m.