| Box Score 2

GILBERT, Ariz. -- It was a successful end to one season and a monkey off the back victory for another on Wednesday night at the "The Nest" as both the women's and men's basketball teams for Park University Gilbert won over American Indian College, sweeping the day/night double header.  The women were up first and won handily 81-52 to end their season on a two-game winning note and the men followed up in the nightcap with an 87-76 triumph over the Warriors to snap a nine-game losing streak.

In the opener, the Buccaneer women jumped out early on the Warriors in the first quarter, outscoring AIC 24-9 in the opening frame.  It got even larger in the second quarter as the Bucs opened a 36-point halftime lead after adding another 28 points and holding the Warriors to seven.  Park Gilbert guard Elise Young scored 18 points in the first half, two more than AIC had as a team. 

The Buccaneers held AIC to 13 percent shooting (4/30) from the floor in the first half, including 1-15 from three-point range.  

The second half saw scoring even out on both sides as the Bucs played more of their reserves and the Warriors knocked down more of their shots. The Bucs shooting percentage went down exponentially in the second half as well.  After shooting 46 percent in the first half, their second half percentage dropped down to 27 percent in the second quarter.

Young once again led the Bucs in scoring with 21 points and nine rebounds.  Anna Laux had 12 points and Jasmine Kelly added 10 points.

The Buccaneer women finish their inaugural season 13-15.  Young led the team in points and rebounds averaging 23 points and 6.2 boards a contest and set marks, future Bucs freshman will be hard pressed to match. 

"I am excited about the future of this program," said Park Gilbert head coach Jeff Fore. The way this team competed and learned and got better as the year went along the future is bright for this program."

In the second game, post man Eric Patten who had a 20-20 double-double in the Bucs last game took his game to another level of can you top this, posting a 30-20 double-double with 37 points and 21 rebounds.  Center Tyson Beringer made an impressive return to the court after missing a month with injury, posting his own double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds before leaving after suffering a lower body injury after he slammed home an emphatic dunk. Ethan Wallace chipped in with 12 points off the bench with five assists.  

The game was a tight battle in the first half with the Buccaneer men only holding a one-point advantage at intermission.  Neither team shot the ball particularly effectively, with Warriors shooting 38 percent from the floor and the Bucs shot 33 percent.  Park Gilbert however got to the charity stripe more often (11-6) which enabled the Bucs to hold the lead.

The second half was a completely different story as the Bucs shot 56 percent from the floor, mainly in the post with Patten and Beringer to outscore the Warriors by 10 in the second half.  The Warriors had four players in double figures themselves as they did a good job of spreading the wealth.  

But down the stretch, despite the Warriors double and triple teaming the Patten in the post, the 6-7 sophomore from California managed to score or get to the free throw line to help give Park Gilbert their final margin of victory.

"It feels good to get back in the win column" said Bucs head man Gordon Stubblefield. "It was also good to see Tyson back out there.  He is a difference maker in the post."

There is no rest for the weary as the Buccaneers close out the season against 20-win Antelope Valley on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at "The Nest".