Basketball Game Preview: Arroyo Valley Hawks vs. Banning Broncos

The Arroyo Valley Hawks will face off against the Banning Broncos at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Arroyo Valley is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. They slipped by South El Monte 29-28. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Hawks.

Meanwhile, Banning entered their tilt with Edgewood on Thursday with nine consecutive wins , and they'll enter their next game with ten. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 51-48 victory over the Lions. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Broncos have posted since November 13, 2023.

Banning's win came from a few key players Arroyo Valley will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Nylea Smith, who posted 12 points along with eight rebounds and five assists. That's the most assists she has posted since back in December of 2024. Maria Raygoza was another key player, putting up nine points in addition to seven boards and three steals.

Banning smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 23 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 21 offensive boards in four consecutive games.

Banning's victory was their ninth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 19-5. The wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 22.9 points over those games. As for Arroyo Valley, their win bumped their record up to 13-16.

Arroyo Valley came up short against Banning when the teams last played back in November of 2023, falling 40-28. Can Arroyo Valley avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.