Arizona Western hosts second annual Chapman Automotive Christmas classic

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - – Arizona Western College is hosting the Second Annual Chapman Automotive Christmas Classic, a five-day basketball tournament featuring eight competitive teams from across the country. The event runs from Monday, December 15th, through Friday, December 19th, offering nearly 20 games and providing local fans a chance to watch some of the top junior college basketball talent.

Teams participating include Dawson Community College, Northwest College, Monroe College, Central Arizona, North Idaho, Cochise College, and Casper College. Some programs come in with national rankings, making the tournament a test of skill and teamwork.

Women’s Head Coach Chelsea Dewey spoke about the quality of the teams and the excitement of hosting the event in Yuma. She emphasized her team’s focus on growth and consistency rather than just wins and losses:

“It’s not about wins and losses. It’s about growth of this team and getting ready for the next level… Our girls have seen a lot of competition. First weekend we played number nine in the country, Odessa. We always put our teams against the best of the best,” she said.

She also noted the importance of effort and energy on the court:

“We’ve tried different lineups… wanting it. But then as soon as we get up 20, we think we’re too cool for school and hit the coasters a little bit. The tough games come, and we’re trying to get past that point… It’s about competing for 40 minutes,” Dewey said.

Practice culture has been a key point for her program: “The energy at practice has been really good. Everyone talking, it’s a loud environment. That’s what you want every day. Even with some losses, the team is still about what we’re preaching… Slow wins, very slow, more than I like, but I’m really proud of this group,” she added.

Dewey also highlighted the experience of hosting multiple teams in Yuma: “It’s really cool to have people come to this campus and watch this. I hope the community comes and supports them… They get to see a high school gym with a good family atmosphere and games pretty much all day. It’s very, very fun,” she said.

She gave credit to new Assistant Athletic Director Scott Gross for helping build community engagement and fan support: “Honestly, he’s done a tremendous job sharing that role and getting exposure on both sides… Not just women’s basketball or men’s basketball, but the soccer teams as well,” Dewey said.

From Kyle Isaacs’ perspective, he discussed the men’s team, the fall schedule, and team chemistry: “We’ve had a really tough fall schedule, playing on the road in hostile environments… Our teams have really improved from August 15th to now, both individually and as a team,” Isaacs said.

He also spoke about the tournament structure and schedule: “Having this many teams is great for the community. Basketball fans can come out and hang all day… Monday we start at 6:00 PM with us versus Dawson, then Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, games from 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM, finishing Friday with a matinee,” he said.

Isaacs highlighted his team’s leadership and chemistry: “Not normal in a college atmosphere to have so many returners. We had 6 or 7 returners who contributed last year, then added 6 or 7 more. They’ve clicked really well, and that chemistry has helped us come out 10-2 so far,” he said.

He also discussed outreach to the community: “You’ve got to figure out ways to communicate your message, your culture, your brand… One guy doing a great job is Chris Beard at Ole Miss. We try to pick and choose things we see on social media or TV and implement it into our program,” Isaacs said.

Isaacs concluded with an invitation for fans: “We’re super excited about this next week. We’d love to have everyone in the community come out and enjoy some really great basketball,” he said.

Tournament Schedule Highlights:

• Monday, Dec 15: Arizona Western vs. Dawson, 6:00 PM
• Tuesday, Dec 16: Multiple matchups start at 9:30 AM
• Wednesday, Dec 17: Northwest College vs. Arizona Western, 7:30 PM
• Thursday, Dec 18: Dawson vs. Arizona Western, 5:30 PM
• Friday, Dec 19: Matinee finale