Basketball teams combine for a double-double

By James Kelley
Photo by Daniel Gaona

Going to Nationals in the same year isn’t the only thing the Pima Community College basketball teams have in common.

Both won the Region title in their coach’s second year.

Last year, the women went to Nationals in head coach Todd Holthaus’ sophomore campaign. This season, men’s head coach Karl Pieroway also locked up a trip in his second year. The season before Holthaus was hired, the women were 5-22. The year before Pieroway started, Pima men were 7-23.

“It’s the first time that men and women have ever made it to Nationals,” said Pima’s Director of Athletics Edgar Soto. “It’s a big deal, especially with our basketball teams. We have come a long way from three or four years ago, where we were getting beat up a lot. Now we’re the team to be dealt with. We’re really happy about that.”

The teams usually cheer for each other at their games.

“The girls were actually telling us at the start of the season, if we make it to Nationals, then they are going to take us to lunch, so now I am thinking where they are going to take us,” sophomore forward Travares Peterson said, laughing. “But it’s huge,” Peterson added. “I’m a big supporter of the girls, the girls are big supporters of us. It’s going to be nice to have two teams flying out on the same plane representing Tucson and the whole Southwest.”

Region 1/District 1 Champions

Last year, Pima finished No. 25 in the national rankings of athletic departments. Only the Cross Country teams and Track and Field have had both men’s and women’s team go to Nationals in the same year.

“It’s very, very uncommon… I’d have to ask some people but for both the men and the women to make it to Nationals, I think that’s very uncommon, so we’re pretty fortunate,” Soto said.

With both teams going to Nationals in the same year, Pima can stake its claim as a basketball school.

“We are just trying to provide the way for everybody else to come here and just know this name is not unknown no more, everybody knows Pima now,” sophomore guard Warren Baker said.