RMC Athletics
CHANDLER, Ariz.– The Battlin’ Bears withstood a late run by OUAZ to run away with a ten-point overtime victory to start the Cactus Classic.
Neither team created much separation to begin until a layup by Royce Robinson sparked a 15-4 run by the Battlin’ Bears that put them ahead by 11, capitalized by an and-one layup by Colton Spencer with ten minutes to go in the first half.
The Spirit had their answer, quickly putting together a 10-0 run in response to cut their deficit over two minutes.
The game of runs continued as Rocky spread their lead back out with a 13-3 run over the ensuing three minutes of play, extending their lead back out to 11 after Jesse Owens buried a three-pointer with four minutes to go, helping the Battlin’ Bears to a nine-point lead going into halftime.
Defensive rebounding was crucial for Rocky to start, holding OUAZ to just two offensive rebounds for two second-chance points in the opening twenty minutes of play.
The Spirit came out of the locker room ready to fire, hitting their first four shots of the half, including three three-pointers to again close their deficit.
While both teams traded baskets, it was Rocky who gathered the next chunk of momentum, as Mekhi Jourdan swiped a steal and dropped in a layup through a foul, which would ignite a 10-0 run to give the Battlin’ Bears their largest lead of the contest at 12 with eight minutes to go in the second half.
However, OUAZ would again find some serious momentum on both ends of the floor, making five of their next six shots from the floor to cut their deficit to two with four minutes remaining.
Both offenses were largely quiet until the final stretch of the second half when OUAZ got a layup to fall with thirty seconds left to cut Rocky’s lead back down to two. After a pair of made free throws from Jesse Owens gave the Battlin’ Bears a four-point lead, the Spirit got a falling three-pointer to fall with six seconds left to go with a one-point Rocky lead. Colton Spencer would be fouled on the ensuing in-bounds and make both of his free throw attempts to give Rocky a three-point lead. OUAZ’s CJ Reed would sprint the length of the court and capitalize on a Battlin’ Bear mistake, drawing a foul on a three-point attempt before making all three free throws to send the game into overtime.
The Spirit would be the first to strike in the overtime period, sinking a three-pointer on their first possession to give OUAZ their first lead of the game. From then on, however, it was all Battlin’ Bears, as they would close the game on a 15-2 run, led by six points and an emphatic dunk in traffic to put a cherry on top of a 102-92 Battlin’ Bear victory over OUAZ in the Cactus Classic.
Six Battlin’ Bears scored in double figures on Saturday, led by a season-high 21 points from Colton Spencer, who finished a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line. Jesse Owens hit four three-pointers and finished with 20 points, along with four assists. Carter McCoy was crucial in Rocky’s victory as well, scoring 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and grabbing ten rebounds. Omair Nesbit finished with 11 points, and Royce Robinson added 10.
Jaylon Lee, the Battlin’ Bears leading scorer on the season, drew double teams on each touch on offense but made a huge impact in other parts of the game, finishing with a triple-double after totaling ten points, 16 rebounds, ten blocks, and seven assists on the evening. His ten blocks were the most by a Battlin’ Bear in a single game in program history, and he’s the first Rocky player since Clayton Ladine in 2020 to record a triple-double.
The Battlin’ Bears hit 12 three-pointers, the second most in a game this season. They also outrebounded the Spirit 56-38 overall.
OUAZ was led by CJ Reed, who had 22 points and made five threes on the afternoon.
The Battlin’ Bears (7-2) continue a schedule of three games in three days, taking on Park University-Gilbert on Sunday at 12:00 pm (MT).