The Pima Community College menβs basketball team is headed to its first ever Final Four after beating Highland Community College 103-88 on Wednesday in the NJCAA Division II Tournament quarterfinals.
The win in Danville, Illinois, gave Pima (30-4) its first 30-win season in program history. The Aztecs will next face eitherΒ No. 14 seed Arkansas State University Mid-South or 11 seed Delta College (Michigan) at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Keven BiggsΒ had 34 points in the win, whileΒ Jeremiah BaileyΒ had 22 points and seven rebounds. Pima led 49-37 at halftime.Β
The No. 2 Aztecs took a 15-13 lead with 13:53 left in the first half. The Aztecs turned it into a 14-2 run in a little over three minutes to take a double digit lead at 29-15.
The Aztecsβ quickness and energy wore down the No. 10 Scotties (26-8) in the second half as they maintained a double digit lead throughout and led by as many as 23 points at 73-50, when Bailey hit a 3-pointer with 11:29 remaining.
The Scotties cut into the lead late and got as close as 11 points at 95-84 with 1:30 left in the game.Β After scoring just three points on 1 for 9 shooting in the first round against Southern Maryland, Biggs came back with a force as he finished with a game-high 34 points on 12 for 21 shooting and 9 for 16 from 3-point range. He produced a one-handed highlight dunk early in the second half to make it 57-41. He added four rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.
Bailey came off the bench and took over as he scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half. He went 9 for 10 from the field and 3 for 4 from 3-point range. He also had seven rebounds.
Sophomore Isaiah Murphy (Cienega HS) finished with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists. Sophomore Ilunga Moise (Raymond S. Kellis HS) had seven points and 11 rebounds. He has 35 rebounds in his last three games.
Compiled from aΒ Pima Community College press release.
