Basketball Recap: Deer Valley Falls Despite Big Games from Lilah Clark and Samantha Romero

Deer Valley came up into this matchup off a tough 25-point defeat last Thursday. This time they kept things ultra-competitive, but unfortunately the final result was the same. They fell just short of the Agua Fria Owls by a score of 40-38 on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Skyhawks have suffered against the Owls since December 30, 2016.

Despite the defeat, Deer Valley had strong showings from Samantha Romero, who dropped a double-double on ten points and ten boards, and Lilah Clark, who posted nine points and four steals. Clark has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last three times she's played. Cecilia Romero was another key player, putting up six points and five assists.

Skyhawks

Previous 2 Games

01/28/25 vs Agua Fria	38-40
01/23/25 @ Peoria	27-52

Even though they lost, Deer Valley smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in seven consecutive matches.

Agua Fria's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Janelle Smith led the charge by earning six points and five rebounds. What's more, Smith also racked up two assists, the most she's had since back in November of 2024. Another player making a difference was Jersey Mitchell, who put up eight points and 13 boards.

Deer Valley has traveled a rocky road recently having lost three of their last four games, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-12 record this season. As for Agua Fria, they now have a winning record of 11-10.

Deer Valley wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next contest, a 45-30 win against Westview on the 30th. As for Agua Fria, they also didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next match, a 63-24 victory against Cactus on the 30th.