Basketball Game Preview: La Quinta Blackhawks vs. Palm Desert Aztecs

The La Quinta Blackhawks will venture away from home to take on the Palm Desert Aztecs at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

La Quinta picked up another tournament win on Monday. Couldn't have asked for a better way to wrap up 2024 than the 71-38 stomp they got against Indio. The Blackhawks have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four matches by 29 points or more this season.

Meanwhile, Palm Desert unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Monday. They were just a bucket shy of victory and fell 61-60 to Yucaipa. While losing is never fun, the Aztecs can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 507th, while the Thunderbirds are ranked 222nd).

La Quinta will have to keep a close watch on Paul Dreisbach and Wil Wilson, a pair of players who had a big impact on Palm Desert's prior game. Dreisbach posted 18 points in addition to seven boards and three steals, while Wilson went 9 for 18 on his way to 20 points. Dreisbach's evening made it three games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jecorey Jones, who put up 11 points and seven rebounds.

Palm Desert's defeat ended a five-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 9-6. As for La Quinta, their win bumped their record up to 9-4.

La Quinta was taken down by Palm Desert 83-50 when the teams last played back in January of 2024. That contest was all but decided by halftime, at which point La Quinta was down 45-23.