Aztecs Women's Basketball Drop Close Game at Arizona Western College

The Pima Community College women's basketball team (21-6, 15-4 in ACCAC) couldn't close out its game on the road at Arizona Western College (14-13, 9-10) on Saturday in Yuma.

The No. 6 ranked Aztecs fell 67-63 splitting the regular season head-to-head with the Matadors.

The Aztecs led 63-58 with 2:10 left but the Matadors went on a 6-0 run to take a 64-63 advantage with 56.0 seconds left. Pima had three chances at the basket but turned the ball over. Later, an intentional foul was called on Gabby Banales (Cienega HS) and Arizona Western went 1 for 2 from the line and got back to the foul line on the ensuing inbound where they hit a pair of free throws.

Down 44-39 in the third quarter, the Aztecs came back with an 11-0 run. Freshmen Sydni Stallworth (Palo Verde HS) and Bailey Johnson (Tucson Magnet HS) as well as Banales hit three-pointers to help put the Aztecs up 50-44. The Matadors tied it at 52-52 with 7:07 left but the Aztecs came right back with a 7-0 run capped off by Stallworth's three-point play.

Stallworth finished with a team high 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Taylor Blue had 14 points and 11 rebounds while Banales contributed with eight points and six rebounds.

The Aztecs split the regular season with the Matadors as they won 74-64 at the West Campus last month.

The Aztecs, who clinched the No. 1 seed for the Region I, Division II tournament, have two more regular season home games. They will host Central Arizona College on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.  

Taylor Blue/Photo by Ben Carbajal