THATCHER, Ariz. (Interstat) — In a game defined by its frantic final seconds, the Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters edged the Yavapai Roughriders 79-77 in a men’s junior college basketball contest on Saturday.

The most crucial sequence unfolded in the last 10 seconds of the game with the score tied at 77. After a Yavapai timeout, the Roughriders’ Amari Lawrence committed a turnover with 23 seconds remaining. Eastern Arizona’s Ryder Bush secured the steal, giving the Gila Monsters the final possession.

Yavapai’s Rudolfs Svitins was then called for a foul, sending Eastern Arizona to the free throw line. The Gila Monsters missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity, but Yavapai’s Raijon Dispensa calmly sank a 3-pointer on the ensuing scramble, seemingly putting the Roughriders ahead with 8 seconds left.

Eastern Arizona, without a timeout, pushed the ball upcourt. Ryan Hunt received a pass and drove for a layup, scoring as time expired to secure the dramatic two-point victory for the Gila Monsters.

The game was a high-efficiency offensive affair. Eastern Arizona finished with an offensive rating of 126.2, scoring 79 points on 63 possessions, while Yavapai posted a 120.8 rating with 77 points on 64 trips. Both teams shot over 50% from the field, with Eastern Arizona hitting 32 of 56 attempts and Yavapai making 29 of 55. The Roughriders compensated with superior 3-point shooting, connecting on 12 of 28 from beyond the arc compared to the Gila Monsters’ 6-for-19 performance.

Eastern Arizona was led by Kahu Treacher, who scored 23 points on efficient 9-of-12 shooting from the field and added seven rebounds. Ryan Hunt contributed 17 points and six rebounds, including the decisive game-winner. Bush facilitated the offense with a game-high 10 assists.

Yavapai’s effort was paced by Torin Bosch with 17 points. Amari Lawrence added 15 points, all from beyond the arc, and Timotey Zoonekynd scored 11. Jason Parent filled the stat sheet with six points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

The Gila Monsters improved to 9-7 overall with the win. The Roughriders fell to 3-6.

Eastern Arizona next hosts Central Arizona on Wednesday. Yavapai travels to face Southern Nevada, also on Wednesday. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Prescott on Jan. 28.