Matadors overwhelm Community Christian with dominant 97-66 victory, bench pours in over 60 points
Arizona Western extends win streak to four games with strong showing over Community Christian
YUMA, Ariz. – The Arizona Western College men's basketball team (8-2) exploded for 58 first-half points and never looked back in a 97-66 rout of Community Christian College on Wednesday night at The House.
Arizona Western wasted no time imposing its will, with a relentless opening stretch that saw the Matadors leap ahead 58-27 after the first half. The Matadors' bench made a massive impact, pouring in 63 points for the night and helping Arizona Western maintain at least a 20-point lead for the entire second half.
With dominant rebounding—outrebounding Community Christian 63-35—and suffocating defense that limited the Saints to just 35.2 percent shooting, the Matadors turned defense into offense throughout. Arizona Western's advantage on the glass led to 18 second-chance points, while the team capitalized on turnovers for another 18 points. The largest lead reached 37 in the closing minutes, underscoring a wire-to-wire effort that never allowed Community Christian back into the contest.
Marsai Mason was unstoppable, delivering 24 points and 10 rebounds in just 20 minutes, with 17 coming in the decisive first half. He finished 8-12 from the field, a perfect 2-2 from three-point range and added a block and a steal.
Engel Gutierrez continued the offensive onslaught with 16 points on 7-10 shooting, knocking down a pair of threes and adding two steals. Mario Brunetto provided a spark off the bench, finishing with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 17 minutes.
Inside, Balla Kouyate anchored the rebounding effort with 14 boards to go along with 4 points and a block. Freshman guard Illiam Fevry also chipped in 9 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, distributing the ball and scoring efficiently.
In all, 11 Matadors tallied points, with five players reaching double figures or just shy, highlighting a balanced and selfless team performance. The bench's 63 points and the team's +28 rebounding margin underscored Arizona Western's depth and commitment to playing together.
The Matadors have now won five games in a row and three straight at home.