Apaches extend win streak to 9

The Cochise College Apaches extended their win streak to nine straight games last week.

On Saturday Cochise routed Tohono O’odham 77-69 while on Wednesday, Dec. 5 Cochise knocked off Eastern Arizona College 96-85.

Against Eastern Cochise got off to a slow start forcing Cochise College Coach Jerry Carrillo to burn two of his timeouts trying to get his team on track.

Cochise fought back to within two at the midway point of the first half and tied the game at 18 before Eastern went on a 5-0 run taking a 23-18 lead.

Cochise responded with a surge of its own and closed out the first half with a 27-6 run that included back to back three pointers by Jerry Duckworth giving Cochise a 45-29 lead at the half.

Cochise continued to build on its lead in the second half. Former Douglas Bulldog Jessie Arias Sanchez hit back to back three’s giving Cochise its largest lead of the night at 60-35.

Eastern countered with a 15-6 run and at one point had cut the Apaches lead down to eight.

JoeBell Austin led the Apaches in scoring with 20 points; Demeco Blue followed with 16 and Jordan Russell contributed 14. Arias finished with nine on the night.

"Jesse was a very good offensive spark off the bench for us hitting two 3's in the second half,” Carrillo said afterwards. “We have confidence in Jesse that is why he plays.”

The coach said while the winning streak is nice his team needs to continue to improve especially defensively.”

Against Tohono O’odham the Apaches led by as many as 17 but never could blow it open.

Blue led the Apaches in scoring with 23 points. Jerry Duckworth had 12.

Cochise is at Scottsdale tonight for its final game before the Christmas break.

Cochise women

The Cochise women won Saturday night posting a 98-53 win over Tohono O’odham.

Tianna Brown led Cochise in scoring finishing with 21 points, Johnishia Welles followed with 20, Yvonte Neal had 15 and Ashley Mitchell 13.

Against Eastern Arizona College the Lady Apaches jumped out to an early lead, led by 24 at the break and cruised to a 82-63 win.

Welles led five Lady Apaches in double figures with 18 points, followed by Neal with 16, Mitchell with 12 and Jasmine Lemon and Brown with