SURPRISE, Ariz. — The OUAZ Spirit men's basketball team faced a tough test against #4 Arizona Christian in a highly physical matchup fueled by a loud, energetic crowd. Despite strong individual performances and a resilient effort, the Firestorm proved to be too much as the Spirit battled through all 40 minutes.
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First Half (31-45): The opening half was intense and physical, with Arizona Christian setting the tone early. Quinn Thorne led the Spirit offensively with 9 points, while Carter Gittens followed with 8 points, adding 3 assists and 5 rebounds to contribute across the stat sheet. Mak Nkpa anchored the interior with 4 rebounds as OUAZ worked to stay within reach heading into halftime.
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Second Half (63-79): The Spirit continued to compete in the second half, but Arizona Christian maintained control. Thorne added 8 more points, Gittens contributed 7 points and 5 rebounds, and Tyran Simpson chipped in 8 points as OUAZ fought through the final buzzer in a challenging road environment.
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Up Next
The Spirit will continue action on the road against La Sierra on Tuesday, January 6th at 7:30 PM (MST).
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