Benedictine Mesa men's basketball delivered a complete performance on both ends of the floor, defeating Arizona Christian 89–83 on Thursday night behind a strong first half and timely execution down the stretch.
Arizona Christian opened the scoring from the free-throw line, but the Redhawks quickly answered with perimeter shooting.
Eric Blackwell and
Damian Zivak each knocked down early three-pointers to give Benedictine Mesa its first lead, while
Kamron Robinson helped facilitate the offense and set the tone defensively. The Redhawks continued to find success from beyond the arc, as Zivak and
Luis Marin connected to keep momentum on their side.
Benedictine Mesa began to create separation midway through the first half. Marin sparked the offense with a pair of baskets, while
Khari Dunn and
Isaiah Howard added scoring in the paint. The Redhawks capitalized on second-chance opportunities and forced Arizona Christian into difficult possessions, extending the lead to double digits. Strong ball movement and perimeter efficiency fueled a late first-half run, highlighted by triples from Howard and
Malik Payton, as Benedictine Mesa carried a 47–38 advantage into halftime.
Coming out of the break, the Redhawks maintained their composure as Arizona Christian attempted to rally. Howard opened the second half with a basket and free throw, while Robinson continued to attack offensively to keep Benedictine Mesa in front. Although Arizona Christian trimmed the deficit to as few as three points, the Redhawks responded with timely answers. Zivak drilled a key three-pointer, and Blackwell followed with another from deep to restore momentum.
Defensively, Benedictine Mesa forced turnovers and limited Arizona Christian's second-chance conversions during critical stretches. Dunn and Payton provided energy off the bench, while Howard consistently finished inside and at the free-throw line. Robinson and Payton combined for key baskets in transition as the Redhawks pushed the lead back to double figures midway through the second half.
Arizona Christian made a final push late, but Benedictine Mesa remained poised at the free-throw line and continued to generate stops. Zivak added late baskets, while Howard and Payton sealed the win with free throws in the closing seconds.
Benedictine Mesa's balanced scoring, strong perimeter shooting, and defensive pressure proved decisive, as the Redhawks secured the 89–83 victory and closed the game with confidence.
Key Players:
Looking Ahead: The Redhawks are back on the court on Thursday, February 5
th as they take on La Sierra at home.
