Sports

Nikya Orange leaves a lasting legacy on Pima Basketball
Sports

Nikya Orange leaves a lasting legacy on Pima Basketball

Nikya Orange preparing for a rebound (Andy Morales/AllSports Tucson) By NATE MARTINEZPima Post Becoming a standout player takes hard work, commitment and dedication — all of which describe Pima sophomore forward Nikya Orange. The Aztecs go through a strict weekly regimen to stay in shape under strength and conditioning coach Carla Garrett, and Orange has a long, detailed schedule that includes lifting on Mondays and Thursdays, watching film and having long practices. All the while, she is expected to maintain high grades in the classroom. She gets the job done. Ever since joining Pima in May 2020, Orange has made an impact, averaging 8.6 points and 7,6 rebounds per game. She was also a key part in helping the Aztecs make it to the NJCAA Division II tournament last season...
FC Tucson shut out by Tormenta FC
Sports

FC Tucson shut out by Tormenta FC

Luca Mastrantonio (FC Tucson) By NATE MARTINEZ FC Tucson (1-2-1) struggled heavily to get any kind of offense going for most of Saturday’s match with South Georgia Tormenta FC (2-1-1) at Kino North Stadium in the 2-0 loss. “One team came to play with the intensity that’s required in this league and on a professional level and one team didn’t,” FC Tucson coach Jon Pearlman said. “Both goals were unforced errors on our part; completely avoidable.” Physicality was not something that was lacking in the chippy match as 25 fouls were called, 13 going toward Tormenta FC and 12 to FC Tucson. The disciplinary frustrations began early for FC Tucson as midfielder Charlie Machell received a yellow card five minutes into the match. At the 29-minute mark, midfielder Louis Perez receiv...
Clifford brings winning mentality to Pima baseball
Features, Sports

Clifford brings winning mentality to Pima baseball

Preston Clifford poses for a headshot. (Photo courtesy pimaaztecs.com) By NATE MARTINEZPima Post Preston Clifford likes to win. “If you’re a winner, you’re gonna find a way to win,” said the sophomore infielder for Pima Community College’s Baseball team. I think that’s something that — I don’t wanna say it the wrong way — but not everybody has. You’re gonna find a way. You’re gonna give up anything you can to win.” That is the mentality that Clifford has adopted since first stepping foot on the baseball field at Sabino High School, a lesson that he carries to this day. “I think that’s one thing at Sabino we did do,” Clifford said. “We didn’t care how it looked, or what it looked like or how it sounded. It’s all or nothing. I think that’s something I take into my game every ...
FC Tucson draws against Forward Madison in home opener
Sports

FC Tucson draws against Forward Madison in home opener

FC Tucson huddling together after a practice. (FC Tucson admin photo) By NATE MARTINEZPima Post A stellar back-and-forth match took place Saturday night at Kino North complex that saw FC Tucson battle with Forward Madison to a 1-1 draw. “It was a well-fought game,” midfielder Charlie Machell said. “I thought both teams had some good chances, especially them going down to 10 men. It felt like we probably could have knocked it in at the end, but probably at the end of the day, a point is a fair result.” The crowd of 1,492 was electric, the weather was ideal and the vibrant sun that set just over the horizon made for perfect conditions for a home opener. The FC Tucson fan base was abuzz with excitement to cheer for the home team, but that was not enough to control the chippy F...
An NBA check-in: the Eastern Conference edition
Opinion, Sports

An NBA check-in: the Eastern Conference edition

By JAVIER DOSAMANTESPima Post In my last NBA column, we took a look at how the Western Conference Playoffs would play out.  At the time, I wanted to wait a week to get a larger sample size from the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers before discussing a convoluted Eastern Conference Playoff picture. However, that week turned into a month, the regular season is over and there is still no clarity on who could come out of the East. However, I’m of the unpopular opinion that we need to analyze things with nuance and perspective. And the Eastern Conference has been hard to figure out all season long.  With that said, I am glad that I did not participate in the initial hyperbole that anointed the 76ers as champions after the James Harden for Ben Simmons trade happe...
Pima College hosts NJCAA soccer tournament
News, Pima News, Sports

Pima College hosts NJCAA soccer tournament

By NATE MARTINEZPima Post Pima Community College Athletic Director Jim Monaco, Chancellor Lee Lambert and VisitTucson Sports Sales Manager Nick Pazzi recently announced that they have partnered with the NJCAA to bring the Division-II junior college soccer tournament to the Kino North complex. “We are so pleased to announce that we have become the host site for the NJCAA Division II men’s and women’s soccer championship, the week of Nov. 12-19 of this year,” Lambert said. “This is a tremendous achievement for Pima Community College and the city of Tucson.  “Additionally, I’d like to say this would not have happened without the tremendous soccer community here in Tucson and the success we’re having with athletics in general and soccer specifically.” The move to bring the to...
Track athletes given the runaround
News, Pima News, Sports

Track athletes given the runaround

Story and photos by LANISSA PATTERSON While the Pima Community College track team finished competing in the NJCAA Indoor National Championship March 4 and 5, it has been two years since the Pima Community College West Campus track was closed to the general public.  The track’s surface is blemished with cracks, some of which span over three lanes. There are mounds where the track does not lie flat. Walking on the track is comparable to walking on bricks. In addition, the West side of the track is torn and unusable. PCC West Athletic Director Jim Monaco is well aware of the condition of the track, calling it “very dangerous.” While the final cost of the installation is still being assessed, Monaco states the lowest estimates start at $200,000. Despite the obvious risks of...
Results: NJCAA indoor track finals— Gardner a champion
News, Pima News, Sports

Results: NJCAA indoor track finals— Gardner a champion

By LANISSA PATTERSONPima Post The Pima Track and Field competed March 4 and 5 in Pittsburgh, Kansas, for the NJCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships. "Coming home with a national champion and 80 percent of our teams being All-Americans was awesome."Chad Harrison, Pima Coach According to the Aztec Athletics website, the men's team placed 14th overall and earned 17 points at the indoor championships. Sophomore Reece Gardner took home the NJCAA National title in the Heptathlon and earned All-American status. Gardner also set a new Pima pole vaulting record with a mark of 15 feet 5 inches. Freshman Joel Gardner received NJCAA All American honors by placing eighth in the 5,000-meter race, with a time of 14 minutes, 43.36 seconds. In the female division, the women’s tr...
An NBA check-in: the Western Conference Edition
Opinion, Sports

An NBA check-in: the Western Conference Edition

By JAVIER DOSAMANTESPima Post A couple of days ago, the NBA’s reigning MVP Nikola Jokić, continued his unprecedented play with a historic game log and a win to keep his team securely in the playoffs, even without his best two teammates. Then on Sunday, Jayson Tatum — one of the best young stars in the league — had a career performance and his Boston Celtics remain the best Net Rating team since the All-star break. Still, the collective basketball media world chose to focus on Lebron James’s 56-point performance in a rare win for a Lakers team that is inconsequential for the playoffs. James and his team have been covered with exhausting detail, and at this point, it feels like we're watching "Keeping Up With the Lakers" and not the NBA. When instead we should be talking ...
Pima beats Scottsdale to advance to Region I, Division II finals
News, Pima News, Sports

Pima beats Scottsdale to advance to Region I, Division II finals

Pima bench celebrating. (Photo by Stephanie Van Latum) By NATE MARTINEZPima Post The Pima College women’s basketball team advanced to the finals of the 2022 Region I, Division II tournament after beating No. 3-seeded Scottsdale Community College 54-45 in a highly physical game. “The main thing was we stayed composed; they were out of control,” guard Melissa Simmons said. “Family-wise, we stayed close with each other, (we had) great communication. We stayed together as a group from first quarter to fourth quarter.” The Aztecs played their second game without injured starting guard Angel Addlemann (Palo Verde grad), but other guards such as Melissa Simmons, Luisa Chavez (Rio Rico) and Priscila Varela stepped up in her absence. “I just felt like they did such a good job, colle...