The SCC men’s basketball team is running down the home stretch as they possibly could make the playoffs this season. With only a few games left, each game will be pinnacle for the Fighting Artichokes to win in hopes to make the playoffs. The Fighting Artichokes currently stand at number two in their league with only two teams that could stand in their way. Pima CC is a very strong opponent that the Artichokes will have to end the season battling for a spot while the other college is Phoenix College. Phoenix College is currently the number one seed in the Artichokes division and also is nationally ranked number two in the country.

The men’s basketball team has matured quick in the season and learned more about each other then ever before. Passes are more fluent and rebounding is more aggressive in games. The team has also adapted to the new head coach Mark Bunker very well and the team believes in his methods.

“We have a never say die attitude, that they’ll go out and play as hard as they possibly can,” said coach Bunker. “They never give up and won’t harp on each other.”

The team thrives in working together and believes that the way they act towards each other is important in winning games. Two players that are leaders on the team are guard Devin Nelson-Foster, who is the lead scorer averaging 17.5 points the last few games and forward Trent Molesworth. Molesworth is one of the enforcers on the court and uses his giant 6’7 frame to defend the net.

“The best quality of our team is our chemistry,” said Molesworth. “We really like each other and were basically a family, trying to support and help each other as much as possible.”

SCC Athletic Director Vernon Mummert wants nothing but the best for the team and before the season put allot of trust in a new head coach to turn the Artichokes around. Mummert believed that the team would find success this season and was worried at the start.

“I was cautiously optimistic for the year because the transition but the present coach Mark Bunker has done a marvelous job of teaching these young men how to play together as a team and were coming down the home stretch and hoping for the best.”

Playoffs or not, the Artichokes have a lot to be proud of that they gave it their all. Expectations for this team exceeded most fans and staff members this season with a good turn around from last seasons bland ending. The goal for this team is to end the season on a high note and possible playoff contending. Only a few games left stand in the Artichokes way from this goal in mind.