Vaqueros roll to victory, 116-81

SIGNAL PEAK — Planet Athlete put up minimal resistance Friday night, much to the relief of the Central Arizona College men's basketball team.

Coming off two consecutive tough losses on their home court, the Vaqueros registered a season-best point total in a 116-81 victory over the Warriors at the George Young Activity Center. Led by Mike Nwabuzor's 25, seven CAC players had season-best point totals. The Vaqueros (5-4) shot 72 percent from the field in the first half and 62 percent for the game.

"It was nice to get the win and it couldn't have come at a better time," CAC coach Tramaine Aaron said. "It was a good effort overall and plenty of good things happened. But we still have to focus in on the small details and play a complete game. We got away with some mistakes, but you'll pay for those in conference games."

Turnovers proved to be troublesome. Central committed 19, which Planet Athlete converted into 15 points. And after holding the Warriors to 38 percent shooting and 32 points in the first half, the Vaqueros allowed them to shoot 51 percent in a 49-point second half.

CAC closed the first half with an 18-2 run — capped by Chad Miller's three-pointer with less than a second remaining — to go up 61-32 at halftime. The Vaqueros matched that 29-point lead twice in the first three minutes of the second half before Planet Athlete shaved the deficit to 19 at 71-52 on Lucas Gemiux's free throw with 13:15 to play.

The Warriors would get no closer, and Central put them away with a late 12-0 run. The 35-point margin of victory was another season best.

Nwabuzor scored 14 points in the second half. He went 8 for 11 from the field and 9 for 9 from the line. The 6-foot-2 guard also had 15 rebounds and 10 assists for CAC's first triple-double of the season.

Karriem Simmons had 15 first-half points and finished with 24, going 10 for 12 from the field and 4 for 5 from the line. JaQuan Johnson made 6 of 8 field goal attempts and hit all six of his free throws to score 20 points. Derice Black (11 points), Miller (10), Brendan Jackson (nine) and Sean Potter (five) also posted season-best point totals. Rounding out the CAC scoring were Josh Rideau and DeShawn Shelton with six apiece.

Jachai Taylor scored 28 points, Gemiux had 23 and Eric Marbury scored 12 for the Warriors.

The Vaqueros went 21 for 29 from the field in the first half and 19 for 36 in the second. They made 32 of 39 free throws, outscored Planet Athlete 18-8 in second-chance points and converted 21 turnovers by the Warriors into 20 points.

Many of CAC's points came off the fast break.

"That's something that we haven't done all year, but it's something we're capable of doing," Aaron said.

The Vaqueros were coming off losses of 87-84 in overtime to Arizona Western and 67-65 to Eastern Arizona.