Basketball Recap: Ava Hepworth Key Part of a Team Effort in Thunderbirds Win

There's no place like home for Las Plumas, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Saturday. They had just enough and edged the Gridley Bulldogs out 46-43. That's the second time they've managed to beat them this season, as they also won 46-35 back in December of 2024.

Las Plumas' win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Ava Hepworth, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 16 rebounds. Hepworth has been hot for a while, having posted eight or more boards the last 14 times she's played. Another player making a difference was Isabelle Olivares, who went 5 of 11 en route to 13 points and three steals.

Despite the loss, Gridley still got an impressive performance from Brook Marr, who went 6 for 15 on her way to 21 points in addition to seven rebounds and five blocks. That was a full 48.8% of Gridley's points, marking the third time in a row she's posted more than a third of the team's points. Charity Archer was another key player, putting up five points.

Las Plumas is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven contests, which provided a nice bump to their 9-7 record this season. As for Gridley, they have also traveled a rocky road recently having lost seven of their last nine matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-12 record this season.

Las Plumas has already played their next game, a 55-16 victory against Live Oak on the 17th. As for Gridley, they also didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next contest, a 52-32 win against Corning on the 17th.