DOUGLAS, Ariz. (Interstat) — The Cochise College Apaches will seek to halt a two-game skid against their conference rival and defend their home court when they host the Arizona Western College Matadors in a men’s junior college basketball game Wednesday.

The matchup at Cochise’s gym in Douglas is a rematch of a Jan. 31 meeting in Yuma, which Arizona Western dominated in a 107-88 victory. The Matadors also won the prior meeting this season, 83-71 here on Jan. 14.

Arizona Western (17-6) enters on a five-game winning streak, most recently routing Central Arizona 86-62 on Saturday. The Matadors have been led by a balanced attack, but forward Illiam Fevry has been a consistent force. He posted a triple-double in the win over Central Arizona with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Over his last four games, Fevry is averaging 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

Cochise (12-9) has won three of its last four, including a 77-73 road win at Southern Nevada last Friday. Forward Naeem Colston powered that victory with 18 points and 7 rebounds. Colston has been a key performer for the Apaches, recording a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Central Arizona on Feb. 7. He will be central to Cochise’s effort to control the paint and slow Arizona Western’s offensive rhythm.

The Apaches’ recent surge follows a mid-season stumble where they lost four of five games, including the lopsided loss to the Matadors. Coach’s adjustments have since tightened the defense, holding opponents to an average of 68 points during their recent 3-1 stretch.

For Arizona Western, maintaining their offensive efficiency, which has seen them score 93 or more points in three of their last five outings, will be critical. Their earlier win over Cochise featured a 107-point outburst where they shot 54% from the field.

The game is a crucial late-season conference clash for positioning. Following this contest, Cochise will host Eastern Arizona on Saturday, while Arizona Western returns home to face Southern Nevada.