On Wednesday night, the Benedictine Mesa Men's Basketball team battled hard but ultimately fell to OUAZ on the road, with a final score of 73-68.
First Half:
In an intense matchup, Benedictine Mesa opened the scoring with a steal by
Damian Zivak, leading to a three-pointer from
Benjamin Ramirez that put the team ahead 3-0. OUAZ quickly responded with a three-pointer from CJ Reed, followed by a layup, giving them a slight edge. Both teams struggled early with shooting, missing several attempts from the field and the free-throw line.
Benedictine Mesa found their rhythm, with strong contributions from Zivak, who scored a tip-in, and
Malik Payton, who hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to 17-9. OUAZ fought back, closing the gap with layups from Reed and Jack Galiardi, narrowing the score to 20-13. Despite several turnovers and missed shots from both teams, Benedictine Mesa maintained their composure, thanks to key defensive plays and timely baskets.
As the half progressed, the lead fluctuated, but Benedictine Mesa held onto a narrow advantage. In the final minutes, Zivak and Elniel made key contributions, and the first half concluded with Benedictine Mesa leading 29-25.
Second Half:
The second half continued the thrilling back-and-forth battle, with CJ Reed opening the scoring for OUAZ with a layup just 13 seconds in, to close the lead. The teams exchanged baskets, with Zeke Viuhkola responding for OUAZ and
Malik Payton contributing a layup for Benedictine. OUAZ briefly took a 33-31 lead after Reggie Orr's layup and free throw.
As the half progressed, Benedictine regained their rhythm, with
Tanner Crawford and
Benjamin Ramirez making significant contributions that helped the team take a 40-37 advantage. However, OUAZ was relentless, with Reed hitting a crucial three-pointer to tie the game at 40. The tension mounted as both teams showcased their offensive skills and fought for control.
The back-and-forth action continued, highlighted by a three-pointer from
Malakai Harris for Benedictine and a series of free throws from Jack Galiardi of OUAZ.
In the final minutes, a three-pointer by Viuhkola pushed OUAZ to a comfortable lead, but Benedictine refused to back down. The game concluded with a final score of 73-68 in favor of OUAZ.
Key Players:
Looking Ahead:
The Redhawks return to the court on Saturday, February 15th, as they face Park Gilbert on the road.
