Mesa defeats Westwood handily, 46-33

January 19, 2023 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Mesa's Ashiian Hunter (11) challenges Westwood's Angelina Montoya on a drive in the Jackrabbits win Thursday night. (Azpreps365 photo)

The 6A East Valley Region girls basketball race is a three-team affair at the mid-point of region play. The trio are unscathed Dobson, Mesa High and Westwood.

Mesa took care of business at Jackrabbit Gym on Thursday notching a no-doubt victory over Westwood, 46-33. After Thursday's games, Dobson leads the region with a 5-0 record followed by Mesa 5-1 and Westwood 2-1. Westwood will be the busiest of the trio with seven region games in the next 13 days.

Mesa was all business building a 13-3 lead after the first quarter. Senior guard Ashiian Hunter scored eight of her game-high 16 points in the quarter. The Jackrabbits maintained the margin to intermission (20-10). 

Westwood was unable to make a run in third quarter, giving up two threes in the first minute of the quarter. The Warriors deficit grew to 35-17 at the end of the quarter.

Mesa's Josalyn McGuire and Amya Bekele checked in with eight points apiece and Matix Perkins chipped in seven. McGuire and Bekele made four of Mesa's six threes (two apiece). Westwood's only scorer to reach double figures was junior guard Angelina Montoya. Montoya tallied 13 points - six in the first half and seven in the second.

Westwood tries to rebound from the loss quickly. The Warriors host Red Mountain on Friday. Mesa is idle for a week. The Jackabbits next game is Jan. 26 at home vs. Dobson. Dobson won the first meeting between the schools on Jan. 7, 36-35.