News Photo by Jonny Zawacki Alpena’s Dakota Prevo (44) makes a layup surrounded by Mott Community College defenders during the third quarter of a women’s basketball game on Monday at Park Arena.

Just two days removed from playing Mott Community College, the Alpena Community College women’s basketball team didn’t have much time to get healthier or figure out a way to slow down the Bears the second time around.

The result: Monday’s matchup was much of the same as Alpena was unable to keep up with Mott and fell by a final score of 85-52 at Park Arena.

It didn’t take the visitors long to grab a lead as Mott opened on a 12-2 run and never trailed in the contest. Other than the game being tied at two just a few minutes in, it never seemed as if the game was in any doubt and Mott opened up a lead.

Despite a valiant effort throughout the first quarter and early stages of the second to keep the game close, Alpena’s lack of numbers once again hurt as the Lumberjacks couldn’t keep pace.

Despite being down 10 after one quarter and double digits early in the second quarter, Alpena kept the game around 10 points in what was a sloppy first 15 minutes for both sides.

Mott started to clean its play up in a big way and the shots started falling as the Bears hit three treys in the final two minutes and took a comfortable 43-23 lead into the break.

The Bears came out of the half hot and exploded in the third quarter.

Mott scored eight of the first 10 points to begin the quarter to extend the lead and the scoring didn’t stop. The Mott bench played a big role in the outcome as Alpena had no answer for Zaria Mitchner who scored 18 of her game high 23 points in the third to help Mott build a 71-39 lead and coast to another lopsided victory. Mitchner scored 10 of Mott’s first 12 points to begin the third quarter and scored eight of the Bears’ last 10 points to end the frame.

Bench play was key for the Bears. Along with Mitchner, Serena Rice scored 18 points off the bench and Alaysha Buggs also added 18 points. Sasha Penn finished with 11 points for Mott.

What offense the Lumberjacks could muster came from Dakota Prevo who recorded another double-double, finishing with a team high 18 points and ripped down 10 rebounds. Brooke Nguyen and Mollie Girard each added 11 points apiece. Karah Dunson scored six points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Lillian Black chipped in with six points and nine rebounds in the losing effort.

Alpena falls to 4-18 overall on the year and with just four games remaining in the season, the Lumberjacks will enter their final week of the season when they resume play on Wednesday at Schoolcraft Community College.

——

BOX SCORE: Field Goals Made/Free Throws Made/Free Throws Attempted/Total Points

MOTT (85): A. Buggs, 8 1-3 18; S. Penn, 4 2-2 11; C. Gloster, 4 0-0 8; M. Voelker, 2 1-3 5; S. Rice, 5 7-10 18; Z. Mitchner, 9 4-11 23; A. Bell, 1 0-0 2.

ALPENA (52): B. Nguyen, 4 0-0 11; M. Girard, 4 0-0 11; K. Dunson, 3 0-0 6; D. Prevo, 7 4-6 18; L. Black, 2 2-2 6.