THATCHER, Ariz. (Interstat) — The Eastern Arizona men’s junior college basketball team opened its season with a narrow 73-69 victory over Gillette on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. The Gila Monsters used a strong first quarter, outscoring the Pronghorns 43-29, and then held off a second-half rally. Eastern Arizona’s defense forced 19 turnovers, overcoming an identical 26-of-61 shooting performance from the floor by both teams. Rashad McCormick led Gillette with 13 points, while Derek Collins’ 14 points paced Eastern Arizona. The loss drops Gillette to 0-1, while Eastern Arizona starts 1-0.