THATCHER, Ariz. (Interstat) — The College of Southern Idaho Eagles used a balanced offensive attack and a decisive second-quarter run to secure a 66-54 road victory over the Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters in a men’s junior college basketball game Monday night.

The win improved Southern Idaho’s season record to 10-1, while Eastern Arizona fell to 7-5. The game was a rematch of a contest played 10 days prior, which Southern Idaho also won, 74-64, at home.

The first quarter was a tightly contested affair, featuring eight lead changes and ending in a 30-30 deadlock. Eastern Arizona’s Ryan Hunt and Brad Ballinger provided early scoring, while Southern Idaho’s Ben Thornbrue was active inside. The period concluded with a flurry, as Eastern Arizona’s Ballinger hit a 3-pointer with 34 seconds left, only for Southern Idaho’s Ace Reiser to answer with a jumper just before the buzzer to knot the score.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the second quarter, where Southern Idaho’s defense took control. After Eastern Arizona’s Kofi Peyton opened the quarter with a 3-pointer to give the Gila Monsters a 35-32 lead, the Eagles embarked on a game-defining 13-0 run over the next four and a half minutes. The surge was fueled by defensive stops and efficient scoring from multiple players. Jalen Lyn converted a pair of free throws, Thornbrue completed a three-point play, Guygustone Kasenga scored inside, and Nathan Ahner hit a jump shot. When the run concluded on a Cooper Kesler 3-pointer with 5:11 remaining, Southern Idaho held a 45-35 advantage.

Eastern Arizona struggled to mount a sustained comeback, as their offense went cold. The Gila Monsters managed just four points over a nearly nine-minute span in the quarter. Southern Idaho’s lead never dipped below eight points the rest of the way, extending to as many as 12 before settling on the final margin.

Thornbrue led the Eagles with 15 points in just 24 minutes of action. Lyn added 10 points and seven rebounds, while Ahner contributed eight points, eight rebounds and three assists in a full 36 minutes. Kasenga provided a key interior presence with eight points and seven rebounds off the bench.

For Eastern Arizona, Kahu Treacher led all scorers with 13 points and added seven rebounds. Hunt finished with 11 points, and Ryder Bush had 10 points and seven rebounds. The Gila Monsters were hampered by shooting struggles, particularly during Southern Idaho’s pivotal second-quarter run.

The Eagles’ victory marked their third consecutive win since their only loss of the season on Dec. 6. Eastern Arizona has now lost two of its last three games.

Southern Idaho’s next game is at North Idaho on Jan. 3. Eastern Arizona begins a three-game Texas road trip at Weatherford College on Jan. 2.