By Matt Hickman/Sierra Vista Herald
PHOENIX — The Cochise College women’s basketball team reached the top 25 of the NJCAA Division I poll this week. In the Apaches’ first game since the distinction, they knocked off South Mountain, ranked 14th in the national Division II poll, 74-63 on Wednesday night.
Yvonte Neal scored 20 points, Justina Prairie Chief had 11, and Tianna Brown and Jasmine Lemon scored 10 apiece as Cochise built a 10-point lead in the first half and made it stand up the rest of the way to remain unbeaten on the season.
“It’s nice to get a little recognition,” second-year Cochise head coach Laura Hughes said of the ranking. “It was a good win for us. I feel South Mountain is one of the top two or three teams in our conference. They play really aggressive and I felt we handled that aggressiveness. I told the team before the game it was going to come down to being composed and poised, and we were poised.”
The Cochise men took care of business in even easier fashion Wednesday night, blowing out South Mountain, 112-86. The Apaches improved to 7-1 with the win.
Seven Apaches finished in double-figures, led by Anddrew Hawkins with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Joe Bell Austin and Tevin Caldwell had 15 points apiece and Demeco Blue had 13 points and eight rebounds. Jordan Russell had 12 points and seven steals, Jerry Duckworth scored 12 and Demitrius Balark had 11.
On Saturday, both Apache squads return home to the Douglas Campus to face Mesa. The women tip off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 7:30. Admission is free.