Basketball Recap: Santa Maria Takes Loss Despite Strong Efforts from Aaliyah Juarez and Suzanna Tellez

If Santa Maria was feeling good fresh off their 60-9 takedown of Santa Clara on Saturday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The Saints lost to the Bishop Diego Cardinals on the road by a 55-36 margin on Saturday. The defeat continues a trend for the Saints in their meetings with the Cardinals: they've now lost three in a row.

Santa Maria's loss came despite strong showings from Suzanna Tellez and Aaliyah Juarez. Tellez posted 15 points, while Juarez had nine points and seven boards. The team also got some help courtesy of Jacqueline Paredes, who scored three points and nine rebounds.

Bishop Diego's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Luz Castro, who dropped a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards. Thanks to that strong game, Castro now owns an excellent 45.3% shooting accuracy. Alyssa Chrestenson was another key player, dropping a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Santa Maria's loss dropped their record down to 2-2. As for Bishop Diego, their win bumped their record up to 4-1.

Santa Maria and Bishop Diego will both get a bit of extra prep time before their next games. The next time the Saints see the court they'll take on Villanova Prep at 6:00 p.m. on December 2. As for Bishop Diego, their break will end when they face Nordhoff at 6:00 p.m. on December 3.