By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – The Pima Roughriders girls basketball team delivered a commanding performance on Tuesday night, cruising to a 70-17 victory over the host Safford Bulldogs at Norma Bellamy Gymnasium. The Roughriders’ suffocating defense and hot shooting from beyond the arc proved too much for the Bulldogs, who struggled to find any rhythm throughout the contest.
Pima (2-0 conference, 4-0 overall) showcased balanced scoring and relentless pressure, forcing numerous turnovers while converting efficiently on the offensive end. The Roughriders shot 58.7% from the field overall, including a sharp 10-of-17 (58.8%) from three-point range, as they pulled away decisively after a competitive start.
The game began with Pima jumping out to an early lead, building a 38-13 advantage by halftime despite Safford managing to keep it somewhat close in the opening period. However, the Roughriders exploded in the second half, outscoring the Bulldogs 47-4 across the third and fourth quarters to turn the matchup into a rout.
Leading the charge for Pima was Macy Allred, who poured in a game-high 18 points on efficient 7-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from deep. Allred’s sharpshooting helped spark the Roughriders’ perimeter attack.
Other standout performers included:
- Hanna Ashby: 14 points (6-of-9 FG, 2-of-3 3PT)
- Morgan Russell: 10 points (perfect 4-of-4 FG), along with a strong paint presence
- Page Ashby: 10 points (4-of-7 FG, 2-of-3 3PT)
- Cheyanne Alder: 9 points
Pima’s depth was evident as multiple players contributed, with the team dominating in the paint (30 points) and capitalizing on 16 forced turnovers.
For Safford (1-2 conference, 4-6 overall), the offense was limited to just 17 points, with more than half coming from senior Alexis Rope, who finished with 9 points. Camber Reynolds had 4 points (all in the first quarter), and Jazzlyn Mortensen and Andrea Todd each had a bucket. The Bulldogs managed only 12 points in the paint and struggled with rebounding.
Pima head coach Roy Corona praised his team’s defensive effort and perimeter play postgame.
“We played well on defense that second half,” Corona said. “Three-pointers were really well today. Macy had 18 points, I think, but our threes were falling. That was only our fourth game of the season, so we’re coming.”
Pima and Safford will now head into the 49th annual EA Holiday Tournament on Dec. 18 – 20.
