In the second nail-biter in as many days, the McLennan Highlanders fell to the Pima Aztecs 83-80 in Tucson, Arizona.
It was a close game throughout the first half with neither team holding more than a five-point lead. Pima began the scoring with a Cohenj Gonzales jumper, and the Aztecs pushed the lead to five at 6-1 with 17:58 to play in the half. An up-and-under bucket by Daylon Dickerson with 17:34 on the clock would be the Highlanders' first field goal. McLennan trailed for the first 10 minutes of play and took aone-point lead at 22-21 on a shot in the lane by Nick Shogbonyo off a Dickerson assist. The two teams traded baskets with McLennan continuing to lead by one, 26-25, with just over six minutes to play before halftime. A 5-0 Aztec run gave Pima a four-point lead but McLennan responded with a 7-0 run capped off by a Landon Anderson 3-pointer from the top of the key to go back ahead 33-30. The Highlanders led by five, 41-36, with 34 seconds to go before the break, but a Dillan Baker 3-pointer in the final seconds trimmed the lead to two, 41-39.
Pima had the momentum early in the second half, and tied the game at 48 with 16:12 to play. McLennan trailed by one, 52-51, when Gonzales hit back-to-back 3-pointers for the Aztecs to go up 58-51. Pima continued to rally, building a 10-point lead, the largest of the game, at 63-53 with 12:11 to go. The Highlanders weren't backing down and used a 9-2 run over the next two minutes to pull within three, 65-62. The Aztecs gave themselves a little breathing room, leading by six, 78-72 with three minutes to go. Nick Shogbonyo stepped up for McLennan, creating a 6-0 run of his own to tie the game with 1:17 to play. Baker added another 3-pointer to make it an 81-78 advantage for Pima. Shogbonyo added a jumper with 11 second to go, pulling the Highlanders within one, 81-80. Baker added a pair of free throws to make it 83-80 Aztecs with five seconds on the clock. Shogbonyo's last-second 3-pointer bounced off the iron, but he was fouled. The ensuing foul shots came up short, giving Pima the win.
Nick Shogbonyo led the Highlanders with 21 points, and Daylon Dickerson scored 17. Landon Anderson and Mason Lockhart added 12 and 10, respectively.
McLennan: Daylon Dickerson 6 3-4 17; Nick Shogbonyo 8 4-9 21; Jaden Juarez 1 0-0 2; Jhaden Brown0 0-0 0; Antwone Gonzales 3 0-0 8; Landon Anderson 5 0-0 12; Cameron Crockett 4 0-0 8; Jaden Walker 0 0-0 0; Russell Foreman 1 0-0 2; Mason Lockhart 5 0-0 10; Totals: 33 8-15 80.
Pima: Zach Williamson 4 3-4 12; Cohenj Gonzales 5 0-0 14; Moses Demalek 2 3-3 7; Jaylen Alexander 7 3-4 17; Dillan Baker 6 2-2 17; Kota Benson 0 0-0 0; Nikko Pentelute 0 0-0 0; Tanner Poeschl 4 3-4 11; Gabe Oldham 2 1-2 5; Totals: 30 15-19 83.
Halftime score: McLennan 41, Pima 39; 3-pointers: McLennan 6 (Gonzales 2, Anderson 2, Dickerson 1, Anderson 1), Pima 8 (Gonzales 4, Baker 3, Williamson 1); Total fouls: M-cLennan 17, Pima 15; Fouled out: Gonzales (Pima); Record: McLennan 11-3.
