Basketball Preview: Sunnyslope Vikings vs. Prescott Badgers
The Sunnyslope Vikings will venture away from home to take on the Prescott Badgers at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Prescott is hoping to do what Boulder Creek couldn't on Wednesday: put an end to Sunnyslope's winning streak, which now stands at four games. Sunnyslope took their matchup with ease, bagging a 93-36 win over Boulder Creek. The Vikings' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Sunnyslope found their leader in sophomore Shannon McIlroy, who dropped a triple-double on 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points McIlroy has scored all season. Teagan McIlroy was another key player, posting nine points in addition to eight steals and seven assists.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Prescott, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Tuesday. They blew past Deer Valley, posting a 64-22 victory.
Prescott can attribute much of their success to Bella Abt, who almost dropped a double-double on 27 points and nine rebounds, and Addie Prisciandaro, who went 6 for 11 en route to 19 points plus three steals. The match was Prisciandaro's seventh in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Rylee Hobson, who posted six points in addition to two steals.
Prescott pushed their record up to 5-2 with the win, which was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories were due in large part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 26.9 points per game. As for Sunnyslope, their victory bumped their record up to 4-0.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Sunnyslope has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 31 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Prescott struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.1. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Sunnyslope might still be hurting after the 50-27 loss they got from Prescott when the teams last played back in January of 2016. Can Sunnyslope avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
