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| Ashley Prince looks
for an opening in the opponent’s defense. Prince is number
12 overall in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference
(ACCAC) in scoring at 14 points per game. |
| Photo
by Rebecca Straughmatt |
Lady Birds host playoff showdown
Dalton Walker
Mesa Legend
The Division II nationally ranked lady
Thunderbirds will host their first round playoff game today, March
8, after their recent success over Pima and Cochise Community Colleges.
The top four Division II teams in the conference advance to the
region playoffs in March. MCC will either host Scottsdale College
or Glendale College, March 8, in the first round of the regional
tournament.
No matter the opponent MCC ends up playing, intriguing match-ups
lie ahead.
Glendale brings in the best three point shooting percentage in the
ACCAC at 35 percent, along with the best three point shooter in
the conference, Breann Hautala, who shot 43 percent from the arc
while also maintaining a 14.7 point average per game, which is good
for tenth overall in the ACCAC.
Scottsdale CC has the advantage in the defensive category between
the three teams with MCC and Glendale CC hovering at the bottom
of the conference in team defense.
Mesa brings the best offense to the table scoring 73.3 points a
game, which is second in the ACCAC and the second best three point
shooter in the conference with Kellie Olson at 39 percent.
Phoenix College and South Mountain College will play in the other
playoff game the same night.
The lady T-birds gave Pima a pounding 80-65 on March 1, after the
Thunderbirds fell to Cochise, 90-80, Feb. 26. MCC sophomore co-captain,
Brandi Steinke, was upset with her defensive effort and the team’s
defensive play during the Cochise CC match-up. “We let our
defense down tonight; too many errors,” Steinke said. “I
could have been done better and been more aggressive, defensively.”
Steinke led MCC with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Teammate Jamie Nesbit
scored 15 points, and Ashley Prince chipped in with 14 points.
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| Brandi Steinke won ACCAC player of the week
honors for the week ending Feb. 19 |
Derk Harron Cartoonist |
Recently Steinke was awarded the NJCAA Division
II Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for her brilliant
play in victories over Eastern Arizona College and Phoenix College.
She led MCC with 22 points and 12 rebounds in a route over Eastern
Arizona, 82-66, Feb. 16, and scored 22 points and snatched 15 rebounds
along with four steals in an 11 point dismantling of Phoenix College,
Feb. 19. Steinke has recently signed with Grand Canyon University
to continue her basketball eligibility next season.
“All around she’s a great person on and off the court,
totally unselfish to be successful,” said coach Robin Schamber.
“She’s the mother of the team, very tough to replace
next season.”
Next season is the last thing on Steinke’s mind. She realizes
MCC will make the postseason despite the loss to Cochise CC. Her
Thunderbirds lost the region championship game last season. Steinke
said that her team realizes what is at stake when MCC’s playoff
run begins.
“In the playoffs we have to step up, we need more energy for
every game,” Steinke said. “It doesn’t feel good
to lose; everyone knows how much it means.”
MCC is currently in fourth place at 12-8 in conference play and
16-12 overall. MCC participates in the ACCAC conference that fields
12 teams.
MCC and six other conference teams are members of NJCAA Division
II. The Thunderbirds are the top Division II team in the conference
ahead of Phoenix College. The other five teams are NJCAA Division
I members.
The winners will meet at the higher seeds home court, March 11,
meaning if MCC can win their first game they will host the championship
game against Pima CC or South Mountain CC for the right to go to
Nationals. The National Tournament is in Phoenix this year.
Schamber thinks MCC has a strong opportunity to win their region
tournament. “We’re ready to play, we have to take one
game at a time,” Schamber said.
“We have hopes for nationals this year.”
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