Central Arizona Pulls Away Early to Defeat Cochise, 83-64

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. -- The Cochise College men's basketball team dropped a tough road contest Wednesday night, falling 83-64 to Central Arizona College in ACCAC conference play in Coolidge, Arizona. With the loss, the Apaches move to 18-11 overall and 8-6 in conference action.

Central Arizona seized control early, racing out to a 42-20 halftime advantage behind efficient shooting and a strong presence on the glass. The Vaqueros shot 44.7 percent in the first half and dominated the boards, out-rebounding Cochise 32-11 over the opening 20 minutes.

The Apaches responded with a much stronger second-half effort, shooting 54.8 percent from the field after the break and scoring 44 points over the final 20 minutes. However, the early deficit proved too much to overcome.

Freshman guard Davon Jones led Cochise with 19 points and five rebounds, going 7-of-14 from the field and 4-of-5 at the free-throw line. Emmanuel Jo Samuel added 16 points, knocking down two three-pointers and converting 4-of-5 from the stripe. Jhace Johnson contributed 11 points, while Teron Murray chipped in seven points and five rebounds.

Despite committing just eight turnovers on the night, Cochise was outrebounded 50-23 and allowed 19 second-chance points, key factors in the Vaqueros' victory.

Central Arizona was led by Tayshaun Jackson's 23 points and Ja'Kwan Jordan's 14-point, 12-rebound performance as the Vaqueros shot 45.1 percent from the field for the game.

Cochise will look to close out the regular season on a strong note when the Apaches travel to Prescott on Saturday, February 28, to take on Yavapai College at 4:00 p.m. The regular-season finale will set the stage for the Region Tournament, which begins March 5.