Desert View hasn't had much luck against Sahuaro recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. A feisty cat fight will be fought when the Desert View Jaguars duke it out with the Sahuaro Cougars at 10:00 a.m.
Desert View is headed into Saturday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fifth straight game on December 12th. The game between them and Casa Grande didn't end well, with Desert View falling 46-28.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Solana Celaya, who posted two points in addition to seven boards, four blocks, and three steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Andrea Cervantes, who had six points and eight rebounds.
Meanwhile, Sahuaro came tearing into Friday's contest with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 23.8 points) and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Padres 50-17. The Cougars have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five matchups by 26 points or more this season.
Desert View better keep an eye on Carly Coolidge. She was instrumental in Sahuaro's win, going 7 of 13 on her way to 16 points along with five rebounds and four steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Harmony Twito, who put up seven points and four steals.
Sahuaro smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in ten consecutive games.
Sahuaro is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last eight contests, which provided a nice bump to their 10-5 record this season. The wins came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 29.8 points per game. As for Desert View, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-6.
Keep an eye on the arc in Saturday's match: Desert View has been dynamite from deep this season, having made 42.3% of their three-pointers per game. It's a different story for Sahuaro, though, as they've only made 23.4% of their three-pointers this season. Given Desert View's sizable advantage in that area, Sahuaro will need to find a way to close that gap.
Desert View was dealt a bruising 80-15 loss at the hands of Sahuaro when the teams last played back in December of 2023. Thankfully for Desert View, Cassandra Coolidge (who went 6 of 9 on her way to 17 points along with eight assists and three steals) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
