Preview: Sierra Timberwolves vs. Manteca Buffaloes
Sierra is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Manteca is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Sierra Timberwolves will take on the Manteca Buffaloes at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
Last Thursday, things could have been worse for Sierra, but they could have been a whole lot better as they took a 42-25 loss to Oakdale.
Despite the defeat, Sierra saw an underclassman step up: Mya Everett scored six points along with six rebounds and two blocks. Everett hasn't dropped below two blocks for four straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of Janessa Barnes, who scored two points along with three steals and three blocks.
Meanwhile, Manteca came up short against East Union on Thursday and fell 55-44.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Jada Ikharo, who scored 11 points along with five rebounds. Izabella Sanchez was another key contributor, dropping a double-double on ten points and 12 rebounds.
Sierra's defeat dropped their record down to 11-9. As for Manteca, their loss ended a ten-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 16-4.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Sierra have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 34.2 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Manteca, though, as they've been averaging only 35 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Sierra came up short against Manteca in their previous meeting back in January of 2023, falling 48-35. Can Sierra avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
