Basketball Recap: Curtis (CJ) Giles Key Part of Team Effort in Pirates Win

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Previous 5 Games

11/20/25 - Home	65-57 W
01/28/25 - Away	65-44 W
01/04/25 - Home	64-51 W
01/24/24 - Home	69-61 W
01/13/23 - Away	73-78 L

Matanzas won the last time they faced Menendez and things went their way on Thursday too. The Pirates came out on top against the Falcons by a score of 65-57. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Pirates.

Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Matanzas to victory, but perhaps none more so than Curtis (CJ) Giles, who almost dropped a double-double with 21 points and nine boards. Jamel Guerrero was another key player, going 5-for-9 en route to 16 points in addition to six rebounds and three steals.

When it comes to explaining why Menendez lost, don't look at Kayne Vona. Despite the final result, he posted 19 points and four steals. Vona is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in each of the last four games he's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Tommy Abbonizio, who dropped a double-double with 13 points and 12 boards.

Matanzas' win bumped their record up to 2-0. As for Menendez, they are on a four-game losing streak (dating back to last season) that has dropped them down to 0-3.

Matanzas didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next game, a 61-52 loss against Vanguard on the 24th. As for Menendez, they will have a little extra prep time after the defeat as they won't be playing again for a while. They'll take on Oakleaf at 7:30 p.m. on the 3rd.