By Jon Johnson
MIAMI, ARIZONA – The No. 4-ranked Pima Roughriders (9-1 conference, 22-3 overall) held the Miami Vandals (6-3 conference, 15-9 overall) to zero field goals and just 3 points in the second quarter and only 2 points in the fourth quarter, to breeze to victory in the second half, 48-19.
In the first half, however, the Riders were as dismal from the field and could only muster one solitary shot in the second quarter.

DeRay Mathis (12 points) led the way for Miami, keeping them close early with a couple of buckets out the gate, including an and-1 play.
But Miami had no answer for Keegan Corona (8 points) who controlled the game as the point guard. Corona struck twice from deep in the first and threw a half-court assist on point to a sprinting Rhett Hughes to help put Pima up 8-7 after the first quarter.
Both teams were stifled in the second quarter, as shots simply weren’t falling until Hughes hit a corner 3 to put Pima up 14-10 at the half.

I don’t know what was said in the locker room at halftime, but Pima came out determined in the third and attacked on defense and offense. The Riders forced five turnovers in the quarter and scored on nearly every one of them to open the third on an 11-0 run. Joel Mattice (8 points), Preston Russell (7 points), and Charlie Richardson (6 points) asserted themselves down low and scored off offensive rebounds as well.
By the time Corona found Mattice for an easy bucket, Pima outscored Miami 21-7 in the third to take a 35-17 lead heading into the fourth.
Pima opened its bench in the fourth, and both Cedrick Grimes and Daxton McRae hit from deep to help the Riders finish the Vandals, 48-19.
Pima 40 Arizona Lutheran 34
The Riders finished their weekend road trip on Saturday with a big 40-34 win over the No. 3-ranked Arizona Lutheran Academy Coyotes.

The win was Pima’s 16th out of its last 18 games. The Riders are currently ranked No. 6 in the 2A Conference and are second in the 2A East Region behind San Tan Charter.
Pima will next have a three-game home stand starting with the Lincoln Prep Lightning on Tuesday, Jan. 28, followed by the San Carlos Braves on Friday, Jan. 31, and Silver, New Mexico, on Saturday, Feb. 1. The Riders will then finish the regular season on the road at No. 2 San Tan Charter on Thursday, Feb. 6. All games have a 7 p.m. start time.