Tag: basketball

Pima basketball player honored with ACCAC Division II Player of the Week
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Pima basketball player honored with ACCAC Division II Player of the Week

Pima Community College women’s basketball player Rylei Waugh received praise from the ACCAC conference during the week of Nov. 5-11, 2023, per a press release. She started the Gila Monster Shootout in Thatcher, AZ with a double-double of 29 points and 10 rebounds in Pima’s win over No. 13 ranked South Plains College. Waugh averaged 22.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.3 steals during the three-game stretch. The Aztecs open ACCAC conference play on Tuesday, Nov. 21 against Phoenix College. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium. Photo by Brian Halbach
Pima Men’s Basketball get much-needed win
Sports

Pima Men’s Basketball get much-needed win

By GERARDO CASTROPima Post Pima Community College men’s basketball team (13-8) returned to its home court last night at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium where the team faced off against Phoenix College (10-9) in a close one. Both teams started off slowly. The score was a mere 2-3 for the first five minutes of the game. Freshman Traivar Jackson started to get things going for the Aztecs both on the offensive and defensive end as the team was feeding him in the post. He finished with 33 points and 8 blocks. Coach Peabody subbed in freshmen Jalen Johnson around the 12-minute mark as the team needed an offensive spark off the bench. Johnson finished with 15 points on an efficient 60 percent shooting performance. At the end of the first half, the Aztecs led the Bears 49-39. Th...
The NBA tests positive
Sports

The NBA tests positive

Photo by Keith Allison By Kyler Van Vliet Last week, the NBA stated that 48 players have tested positive for COVID-19. With the season coming to a start later in December, the NBA tested 546 of its players between Nov. 24 and 30 after players returned to their respective team markets. 9% of the players tested positive.  However, in the league’s preseason guidance to teams sent late last week, they made it clear that some positive test results were to be expected.  Any player with a confirmed positive test is isolated until cleared by rules established by the league and National Basketball Players Association, in accordance with CDC guidance. The league's health and safety protocols for this season say that anyone with a positive test in this ‘pre-camp phase’, “must receive medical clear...
Making sense of the Suns draft
Sports

Making sense of the Suns draft

Photo by Alexander Jonesi By Kyler Van Vliet The 2020 NBA draft has come and gone. Besides the league consensus top three picks in Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball, there were no other standout draftees, thus leaving teams uneasy in who to draft. Many drafted simply based off of player interviews, such as the Chicago Bulls picking college benchman Patrick Williams at pick 4.  The Phoenix Suns were one of many teams that left fans confused based off their first round draft pick, drafting big man Jalen Smith from Maryland. Smith, 20, played two seasons for the Terrapins, averaging 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.  I too was confused by the pick as I was certain they would draft a guard like Kira Lewis who would have been a great scorer off the bench and cou...
Before the sun sets on his career, Chris Paul will try to elevate Phoenix
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Before the sun sets on his career, Chris Paul will try to elevate Phoenix

Photo by Tim Shelby By: Kyler Van Vliet With the NBA off-season shortened up to fit the altered 2021 season timeline, the trade moratorium was lifted this Monday on November 16. Many teams were quick to jump all in and start flipping assets in order to elevate their teams, and the Phoenix Suns were not late to the ball.  The Suns traded for the Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul. The trade consisted of the Suns sending Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre Jr., two other young players and a future first-round pick to the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder.  After reestablishing himself as one of the best point guards in the league this past season it was no surprise that his former team, the Thunder, were going to capitalize on other team’s desire to acquire Paul via trade.  Before the moratorium wa...
Devin Booker wants out of Phoenix?
Sports

Devin Booker wants out of Phoenix?

Photo by Keith Allison By Kyler Van Vliet With the NBA finals coming to a close in October and the 2021 NBA season aiming at a late December start, it leaves fans with a fairly short offseason window to fantasize about unrealistic trade inquisitions and drool over the latest rumors surrounding the league.  The latest rumor involvesDevin Booker, shooting guard for the Phoenix Suns.. On November 3rd, Ryen Russillo appeared on the Bill Simmons Podcast and stated that Booker wanted out of Phoenix. “The worst-kept secret in the league is Booker already wants out of there,” said Russillo.  But does he really? Booker just came off of his best season with the Suns after ending the season with a record of 34-39 and going 8-0 in the NBA bubble, almost securing them a playoff berth. The Suns thems...
Pima women’s basketball team holds ring ceremony to celebrate championship
Sports

Pima women’s basketball team holds ring ceremony to celebrate championship

By Nate Martinez On October 4, the Pima Community College Women's Basketball team celebrated last season's Division II Region I championship with a ring ceremony. The team got together that Sunday afternoon via zoom call, organized by head coach Todd Holthaus, Athletic Director Jim Monaco and Vice Chancellor Bruce Moses, to reflect on the past season, as well as their accomplishments in their final game.  Each player received a box with the ring, nicknamed the “Infinity Stone” by assistant coach Pete Fajardo, as well as a sweater and a team picture. They were instructed not to open until the zoom call.  The Aztecs earned this accomplishment by defeating rival school, Mesa Community College by a convincing score of 76-59. The win also marks the first time in the last eight years that the...
Women’s basketball highlights shortened 2020 season
Sports

Women’s basketball highlights shortened 2020 season

By COREY MCMULLEN The world is in a place that none of us is used to, with the cancellation of all sporting events and types of social gatherings across the globe.  This includes the Pima Community College women’s basketball team’s 2020 season. The Aztecs were supposed to play in the NJCAA regional tournament in March. The original plan was for the tournament to just be postponed to the end of April, but with no signs of the COVID-19 pandemic slowing down, the tournament and the Aztecs’ season officially was canceled. With the season being over, the end-of-season honors were announced. Aztec head coach Todd Holthaus was honored with Region I West District Coach of the Year. This is the sixth time coach Holthaus was honored with the award (2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019). “This season wil...
Women Aztecs start season 2-0
Sports

Women Aztecs start season 2-0

Story and photos By ANGEL CANEZ The Pima Community College Women’s basketball team kept the ball rolling as the Aztecs defended their home court and improved to 2-0 in a 30-point blowout versus Arizona Christian University (108-78).   The  Aztecs started off great right from the start and opened the game on a 10-2 run.  The Aztecs put in a team effort as they had six players score in double digits. They were led again by Sophomore Jacqulynn Nakai for the second game in a row as she put up 23 points on 8-11 shooting to go along with 9 assists and 4 rebounds.  Fellow sophomore Brianna Pitre tacked on 16 and 6-10 shooting, and Shauna Bribiescas and Freshman Ryleigh Long chipped in 11 points each as the returning players led the way. Freshman Alyssa Perez, for the second game in a row, ...
A chat with Pima Men’s Basketball coach
Sports

A chat with Pima Men’s Basketball coach

By HANK ROUBICHAUD  Coach Brian Peabody has been coaching basketball at Pima Community College since 1990.  Peabody started at Saguaro High School under Dick McConnell. This is season No. 18 as Pima’s basketball coach.  Q: What are some things you are looking for from the team this year, coming off of a great year last year?  A: “We just to get better each year. The first year, we won 15 games, then 18, then 21, then 23, then 31 last year, so we just try to get better each year. One thing we haven’t accomplished since I’ve been here is we haven’t won the league outright; so our first and foremost goalwise would be to win the league this year for the first time ever at Pima. That way, you could host every game in the tournament, and then obviously if we could go one game further then we...