Mason Hunt and Brock Mendoza combine for 53 points as Men's Basketball advances to Elite Eight

The Pima Community College men's basketball team (33-0) opened play in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament with a statement win on Tuesday against Davidson-Davie Community College (NC).

• The No. 4 seeded Aztecs defeated the No. 13 Storm 108-80 to advance to the National Quarterfinals (Elite Eight). Pima will play on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. (CDT); 3:00 p.m. Tucson time.
• The Aztecs took an 18-10 lead after sophomore Mason Hunt's three-pointer, but the Storm (28-7) went on a 15-4 run in the next five minutes to take the lead at 25-22. Hunt tied the game with a three-pointer, which sparked an 18-0 run for Pima. Hunt scored the first nine points of the run as the Aztecs went up 40-25 with 5:03 left in the half.
• Sophomore Brock Mendoza had a stretch of scoring seven straight points during the first half and freshman Rowan McKenzie (Boulder Creek HS) gave them their biggest lead of the half as Pima led 60-39 at the break.
• The Aztecs maintained their double digit advantage and took their biggest lead of the game at 34 points after Mendoza's score made it 105-71.
• "It feels good to be back in Danville, I've been here a few times and we're just glad to get the first win," Mendoza said. "(The competition) is more intense and more physical. It's a bigger stage and we know what's at stake, but that's what makes it more fun."
• Hunt finished with a game-high 30 points on 11-for-16 shooting, 5-for-8 from three-point range and 3-for-3 from the free throw line. He also had three rebounds, two assists and one block.
• Mendoza posted 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting with eight rebounds, four blocks and two steals.
• Freshman Isaiah Hill (Premier Prep Academy) closed out the game with 18 points, eight assists, three steals and two rebounds. He was 6-for-10 from the field and 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.
• McKenzie added 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting while freshman Will Feagles (Notre Dame Prep) scored 11 points.
• Sophomore Isaac Johnson contributed with nine points, five rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks.
• The Aztecs shot 54.7 percent (41-for-75) from the field, 44.1 percent (15-for-34) from downtown and 73.3 percent (11-for-15) from the free throw line.
• The Aztecs halted Davidson-Davie's six-game winning streak. They had beaten the Storm 86-82 in last year's National Quarterfinal round.

 The Aztecs will play No. 5 seeded Iowa Central College on Thursday in the Elite Eight. Tip-off is set 5:00 p.m. (CDT); 3:00 p.m. (MST) time.

DDCC   39   41   80
PCC      60   48   108