Five schools go 2-0 to start ACCAC men's basketball

Five schools go 2-0 to start ACCAC men's basketball

  The ACCAC men's basketball season is fully under way and five conference schools have come through the first two rounds of league play unscathed. Arizona Western, Cochise, Glendale, Central Arizona and Phoenix, have won their first two ACCAC games.

  AZW stopped Pima and Eastern Arizona. The game with the Aztecs was a tight one in Tucson with the Matadors coming out on top, 79-78, in overtime. In that one Western trailed by ten with just over two minutes left in regulation. Yaxel Lendeborg led a balanced attack with 16 points as well as 16 rebounds. Najeeb Muhammad added 15 points. Pima was paced by Daniel Moody with 24 points and 11 rebounds. In the game with EAC, which Arizona Western won at home 87-66, the attack was even more balanced as seven players scored in double figures led by Marquis Hargrove who came off the bench to toss in 16. Lendeborg added 11 more rebounds and Muhammad distributed 11 assists.

  Cochose has scored over 100 points in seven of its first eight games and is 8-0 overall. It was finally held below the century mark by Mesa in a CC 92-60 win. Tyree Watson tossed in 23 points and Jay Rodgers contributed 21. Stephen Byard collected 10 rebounds. Quincy Reese had 21 for MCC. Earlier in the week the Apaches topped Scottsdale, 106-65. Rodgers led the way with 25 points and Byard added 19. Oscar Cluff hauled in 15 rebounds, Byard had 12 and Jalun Trent 11. Watson also had 12 assists and Trent completed a triple-double with 10 assists. SCC got 29 points from Carson Kelly.

  Glendale, 7-0 in all contests, picked up its first two league wins over Chandler-Gilbert and South Mountain by almost identical scores. Eric Blackwell led the way against CGCC in a 71-67 triumph with 17 points while Adam Hamilton added 15 along with 10 rebounds. The Coyotes were led by Asa Williams with 21. In the SMCC contest, a 72-67 win, Greg Butler led five in double figures with 14 points while Hamilton added 13 and 11 rebounds.

  Phoenix won its first two against South Mountain and Chandler-Gilbert, the latter in double overtime. The SMCC contest, an 83-77 win, Jamar Brown led a five-player, double-figure barrage with 21 points. Cesar Saenz added 17. The CGCC game resulted in a 96-93 2OT win as Saenz poured in 30 and grabbed 12 rebounds. Brown contributed 17 points.

  Central Arizona, which has started 6-0, knocked off Eastern Arizona 94-90. Brahjon Thompson led five in double figures with 19 points. Jamison Epps added 18 and 12 boards. The Vaqueros then edged Pima, 75-72, as Brenton Woods paved the way with 22 points and Epps added 17.