Basketball Recap: Santa Rita Falls Despite Big Games from Kamran Shaya Alavi and David Gonzales

Santa Rita lost against Benson back in January of 2024 and unfortunately they wound up with the same result on Thursday. The game between the Santa Rita Eagles and the Benson Bobcats didn't end well, with the Santa Rita Eagles falling 71-54. The Eagles have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Santa Rita's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of David Gonzales, who posted 15 points along with eight assists and eight rebounds, and Kamran Shaya Alavi, who went 7 of 15 on his way to 21 points. Gonzales' evening made it three games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. Hery Luna - Favela also deserves some recognition as he posted his first block of the season.

Even though they lost, Santa Rita smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in five consecutive matches.

Benson's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Domonik Villa led the charge by going 6 for 12 en route to 21 points. Those 21 points gave Villa a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Dawson Judd, who went 8 of 12 on his way to 19 points in addition to eight boards and six assists.

Santa Rita's defeat ended a three-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 5-9. As for Benson, their victory bumped their record up to 7-15.

Santa Rita wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next contest, a 53-37 loss against Bisbee on the 20th. As for Benson, they also didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next game, a 55-24 win against St. Augustine Catholic on the 21st.