The Cochise College Apaches needed overtime and some last minute help to chalk up wins 14 and 15 last week.
 Cochise College’s Nathan Soboy slams home a pair in the Apaches game with Central Arizona College Saturday. The Apaches edged the Vaqueros 92-91 chalking up their 15th straight win. Bruce Whetten/Douglas Dispatch |
Against Phoenix, Cochise College sophomore Matt Korcheck scored eight of his 22 points in overtime as the Apaches won on the road.
Cochise took a 74-72 lead on a Mark Simmons free throw with 15 seconds to play. Phoenix answered on its end with a put back with three seconds to play to send the game to overtime.
Michael Maya matched Korcheck’s team-high 22, Nathan Sobey had 16, Simmons nine and Jerry Duckworth had six on a pair of critical 3-pointers late in regulation.
The Central game at Cochise saw a packed Cochise Stronghold loud and vocal.
Central was the last team to beat the Apaches.
Cochise jumped out to a 20-9 first half lead. Central pulled within two at 29-27 and eight minutes remaining in the half.
The Apaches closed out the half with a 23-7 run taking a 52-34 lead at the half.
Simmons’ layup early in the second half gave Cochise a 59-38 lead, their largest of the night.
Central rallied and eventually tied the game at 75 and actually went up 80-75 before baskets by Simmons and Korchek tied the game at 80.
Maya’s two free-throws gave the lead back to the Apaches at 82-80.
With 11 seconds remaining Maya sank two more free-throws giving Cochise a 91-86 lead.
Central would not quit and hit a pair pulling within three and 6.8 seconds left.
Nnamdi Ezenwa would hit one of two free-throws with 2.8 seconds left in regulation giving the Apaches a four-point cushion.
That free-throw proved to be the difference as Central hit a three as time expired pulling within one at 92-91.
Maya finished with 27 points on five 3-pointers to lead Cochise Saturday. Simmons and Ezenwa each had 16 and Korcheck added 13 for the Apaches, who improved to 18-2 overall and 10-1 in Arizona Community College Athletic Conference play.
Cochise goes for its 16th straight win on Wednesday at home against Tohono O’odham Community College.
Cochise women lose 2
The Cochise College Lady Apaches suffered back-to-back losses last week losing 60-58 to Phoenix College on Jan. 18 in Phoenix and 63-57 to Central Saturday at Cochise.
Against Phoenix Cochise’s JJ Alli hit a 3-pointer with four seconds left to put her team up 58-57, only to see the Bears inbound the ball, take two dribbles and heave a half-court shot that found the mark as the buzzer sounded.
Cochise missed 14 free-throws in the loss.
In the loss to Central the Lady Apaches rallied back from a 15 point half time deficit to pull within five.
Ashley Mitchell led Cochise in scoring with 19 points, JJ Alli scored 12 and CC Rode had 10 points for the Apaches who fell to 12-9 on the season with the loss. Next Saturday, the Apaches visit Glendale Community College, which Cochise beat in overtime on Nov. 30.
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