Pima Community College (28-4) and Chandler-Gilbert JC (27-5) both had terrific junior college seasons this year, as both programs competed hard with one another all season long - from the start of the season to the exciting finish. With both programs actually finishing with a tie for their conference season record, but Chandler-Gilbert earned the #1 seed on points. On Saturday evening, these two programs matched up to settle it once and for all, but this time for the rights to the 2024 ACCAC D-II Conference Championship.
This was a nice coaching battle as well, as Chandler-Gilbert Head Coach Steve Silsby had the best season of his coaching career, as he led the program to an amazing 27-4 overall record on the season, entering Saturday's night's final. Silsby also earned the 2024 ACCAC Division-II Coach of the Year honor for his season accomplishments. Silsby was looking to add to his already impressive season, by adding the conference championship to his resume. He would face well-accomplished Pima Head Coach Brian Peabody on the evening - making for an exciting coaching battle, as both coaches would be intense in leading their respective teams to a possible victory.
The game would start with Pima taking a quick lead in the contest behind strong play from 2024 ACCAC D-II Freshman of the Year, 5-foot-9 freshman guard Cohenj Gonzales. Gonzales would quickly score 5 of his team's first 7 points. But Chandler-Gilbert would quickly get it together, and go on a 12 to 5 run against Pima - taking a 19-9 lead with 13:19 left to play in the half. Chandler-Gilbert would get strong play from 2024 ACCAC D-II Player of the Year, 6-foot-7 sophomore Andre Harris and also 6-foot-7 sophomore Jakub Lloyd. Harris would score inside, while Lloyd was able to score inside and out.
Pima would fight though and climb back in it. Another three-pointer from Cohenj Gonzales would get Pima to within three points of Chandler-Gilbert, before Pima would tie the contest with 7:55 left to play in the first half, after a basket inside from 6-foot-8 freshman post Gabe Oldham. Pima would then take a 28-24 advantage with 6:05 left to play on a basket from 6-foot-7 sophomore Jaylen Alexander.
Andre Harris would not be denied inside the paint, and each time Pima would make a run, Harris would bring his team back. Consecutive baskets by Harris would bring his Coyotes to within 2 points, 32-30. Then with 2 minutes remaining in the first half, talented 6-foot-3 sophomore point guard Justin Fisher would travel the length of the floor and make a nice no-look alley-oop pass to a running 6-foot-9 freshman Will Coates. Coates would finish off a very nice two-handed dunk in transition - tieing the contest again. With 1 minute left to play in the half, Justin Fisher would knock down a three-pointer to push Chandler-Gilbert ahead 36-33.
After a nice jump hook in the lane over a defender by promising Pima 6-foot-8 freshman Wes Ball, Pima would go into halftime own one, 36-35, to Chandler-Gilbert.
In the second half, both teams would exchange leads with one another - going back and forth consistently throughout the second half. With 9 minutes left to play, Chandler-Gilbert's Justin Fisher would score consecutive transition baskets to tie the game at 50 all. Both teams would continue to exchange leads down the stretch, until with 1:20 left to play when Gabe Oldham would get a steal and a big layup in transition o put Pima ahead by one, 61-60. After Chandler-Gilbert would need to foul late, they would send Cohenj Gonzales to the line with 20.7 second left to play. Cohenj would sink both free-throws, and then 6-foot-5 sophomore Dillan Baker (NAU signee) would finally ice the game with two more free-throws with 4.1 seconds left to play - giving Pima a 64-61 win and the 2024 ACCAC Division-II Championship.
Gonzales led the way for Pima with a game-high 20 points, and Pima's Jaylen Alexander was selected as the Tournament Most Valuable Player for his efforts in both contests. Andre Harris finished with a game-high 22 points and 12 rebounds for Chandler-Gilbert. This was Pima's first Region title since 2019, and the fourth title under Coach Brian Peabody.
"It feels amazing," said Jaylen Alexander. "I can't even describe it. The last eight months of the season has been a struggle. It took perseverance and it feels like it paid off finally. The guys were working well together and always communicating. The 50/50 balls, the rebounds to close the game out, were really big."
The Aztecs earn an automatic bid into the NJCAA Division-II National Tournament on March 18-23 in Danville, Illinois. Chandler-Gilbert Junior College will most certainly also receive an invite to this year's National Tournament as well for the impressive seasons that both of these two programs had.
