Apache men, women each win 2

The Cochise College Apaches and Lady Apaches each won two games at home last week.

On Wednesday, Jan. 23 the Lady Apaches beat Scottsdale 66-39 while the men were 98-62 winners.

In the Lady Apaches game Cochise led by 20 with 14 minutes remaining and padded that lead to 25 before going up 29 with just under a minute remaining.

Ashley Mitchell led Cochise in scoring with 15 points, C.C. Rode had 11 and Jasmine Lemon nine.

In the men’s game that followed Cochise jumped out to a 9-2 lead three minutes into the game and never looked back.

The Apaches led 23-17 at the midway point of the first half and padded that lead to 21 at 43-22 with 3:32 remaining.

Cochise led 48-30 at the break and cruised from there.

Demeco Blue and Jerry Duckworth each scored 19 points to lead the Apaches in scoring. Tim Jacobs had 14 and Joe Bell Austin and Jordan Russell each contributed 11.

On Saturday the Lady Apaches beat South Mountain 74-66 in overtime.

Cochise was down by as many as 12 points in the second half, but a rally aided by two technical fouls called against the Cougars at the seven-minute mark knotted the game at 59-59 in the closing seconds.

Justina Prairie Chief had a look at the basket on a driving layup but couldn’t convert with five seconds to go, and South Mountain missed its chance to win in regulation.

Ashley Mitchell and Yvonte Neal, in her first game back after missing the last two with a knee injury, each scored 17 to lead the Lady Apaches in scoring. Prairie Chief followed with 12 and Johnishia Welles had 11.

At 19-3 overall and 11-2 in conference, the Apaches are holding down second place by a game over Mesa Community College. On Wednesday, the Apaches visit Mesa, which defeated them in Douglas back in December.

The Apache men disposed of South Mountain 107-84 Saturday in Cochise Stronghold.

The Apaches were up 55-41 at the half and never looked back.

Jordan Russell led the Apaches in scoring with 24 points, including five three pointers. Demeco Blue followed with 22, Joe Bell Austin had 17, Tevin Caldwell 12 and Tim Jacobs chipped in 11.

Johnell Thompson led South Mountain with 35 points.

At 19-3 overall and 12-2 in conference, the Apaches sit a game back of first place alongside Mesa Community College. On Wednesday, Cochise hits the road to play a Mesa team looking to avenge a 73-69 loss at Cochise on Dec. 1.