Mesa Legend - SPORTS - Tennis bound for Texas

Victory over GCC brightens
outlook of basketball season
Scott Thomas
Mesa Legend

Dennis Mikulich Mesa Legend

Mesa player Alex Davis dunks in the 99-82 victory over Luke Air Force base. This win brough the Thunderbird’s record to 4-1.

The Thunderbirds rolled to a 99-82 victory Nov. 19 in a basketball game against Luke Air Force Base. Coach Alton Lister said before the game, “For us to be ready for our conference, this is the type of game we need.”
Mesa players have been unstoppable since suffering their first loss in the first game of the season versus Northwest Sports.
Offensive dominance has been the key to the Thunderbirds’ success this season. Mesa has been on a rampage, defeating five of its first six opponents, going into the Luke Air Force game with a winning average of 18.3 points per game. Mesa’s high-octane offense combines speed, quickness and outside shooting ability.
Star forward Fred Marshall leaped about 12 inches higher than the opposing player in the tip-off to start the game and obtain the first possession.
Mesa jumped out to a big lead early in the game. Fred Marshall hit his first five attempts, including two 3-pointers and breakaway dunkthat not only brought the crowd to their feet, but kept them lively for the rest of the game. Marshall got into foul trouble early into the game which resulted in Lister benching him until the second half.
“After he picked up two quick ones (fouls), we wanted to get him into the second half without three fouls,” said Lister.

“For us to be ready for our conference, this is the type of game we need.”
Alton Lister
Men’s head basketball coach

Although Marshall’s presence was missed on the court, sixth man Rudy Bogans dazzled, scoring 16 points after replacing Marshall. He became the teams leading scorer with 26. His scores included one alley-oop that he threw down one-handed. The dunk brought the house down. Starting point guard and sharp shooter Adam Quinter did his part in the first half by hitting three shots from the perimeter in the first half.
With three minutes and 11 seconds left until halftime, MCC had built an 18-point lead. Sloppy play by Mesa resulted in a short-lived comeback. The Thunderbirds still took a comfortable lead by halftime with a score of 52-41.

Mesa began the second half with a dominating offense. Rourke scored 13 points in the second half, finishing with 20 total points.
Midway through the second half Mesa allowed Luke AF to rally and with about 10 minutes remaining in the game, MCC’s commanding lead dropped to a three point deficit at 70-67.
The Thunderbirds looked shaky for the first time in the game. With Marshall and Rourke both fouled out, the T-Birds were rattled.
After a timeout, Mesa was poised and ready to take the game’s momentum back for the win.
Marshall commended his team’s performance after he and Rourke fouled out. “We had players come off the bench and played very well for us, and actually, they’re the guys that won it for us,” he said
Lister said to his team during the timeout, “This team is challenging us. Are we going to respond to it?”
The Thunderbirds proved their readiness. Sixth man Bogans had a phenomenal second half to complement his first half taking over for Marshall.
Marshall, proud of Bogans’ performance, said jokingly after the game, “I think he plays so well I may not be starting next game.”
Mesa rewarded the T-Bird faithful with an intense night of basketball and expectations of many more gratifying nights to come.
The Thunderbirds rolled to a 99-82 victory Nov. 19 in a basketball game against Luke Air Force Base. Coach Alton Lister said before the game, “For us to be ready for our conference, this is the type of game we need.”
Mesa players have been unstoppable since suffering their first loss in the first game of the season versus Northwest Sports.
Offensive dominance has been the key to the Thunderbirds’ success this season. Mesa has been on a rampage, defeating five of its first six opponents, going into the Luke Air Force game with a winning average of 18.3 points per game. Mesa’s high-octane offense combines speed, quickness and outside shooting ability.
Star forward Fred Marshall leaped about 12 inches higher than the opposing player in the tip-off to start the game and obtain the first possession.
Mesa jumped out to a big lead early in the game. Fred Marshall hit his first five attempts, including two 3-pointers and breakaway dunk that not only brought the crowd to their feet, but kept them lively for the rest of the game. Marshall got into foul trouble early into the game which resulted in Lister benching him until the second half.
“After he picked up two quick ones (fouls), we wanted to get him into the second half without three fouls,” said Lister.
Although Marshall’s presence was missed on the court, sixth man Rudy Bogans dazzled, scoring 16 points after replacing Marshall. He became the teams leading scorer with 26. His scores included one alley-oop that he threw down one-handed. The dunk brought the house down.
Starting point guard and sharp shooter Adam Quinter did his part in the first half by hitting three shots from the perimeter in the first half.
With three minutes and 11 seconds left until halftime, MCC had built an 18-point lead. Sloppy play by Mesa resulted in a short-lived comeback. The Thunderbirds still took a comfortable lead by halftime with a score of 52-41.
Mesa began the second half with a dominating offense. Rourke scored 13 points in the second half, finishing with 20 total points.
Midway through the second half Mesa allowed Luke AF to rally and with about 10 minutes remaining in the game, MCC’s commanding lead dropped to a three point deficit at 70-67.
The Thunderbirds looked shaky for the first time in the game. With Marshall and Rourke both fouled out, the T-Birds were rattled.
After a timeout, Mesa was poised and ready to take the game’s momentum back for the win.
Marshall commended his team’s performance after he and Rourke fouled out. “We had players come off the bench and played very well for us, and actually, they’re the guys that won it for us,” he said
Lister said to his team during the timeout, “This team is challenging us. Are we going to respond to it?”
The Thunderbirds proved their readiness. Sixth man Bogans had a phenomenal second half to complement his first half taking over for Marshall.
Marshall, proud of Bogans’ performance, said jokingly after the game, “I think he plays so well I may not be starting next game.”
Mesa rewarded the T-Bird faithful with an intense night of basketball and expectations of many more gratifying nights to come.


Volume 41, Issue 7. Today is .