Basketball Recap: Elliott Higuera Key Part of a Team Effort in Criminals Win

On Friday, the Yuma Criminals didn't have too much breathing room in their match against the Tempe Buffaloes, but they still walked away with a 71-65 victory.

Yuma's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Elliott Higuera led the charge by going 9 of 18 on his way to 25 points and five boards. Higuera continues to improve, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Andy Mosqueda, who dropped a double-double on 19 points and 16 rebounds.

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Previous 1 Games

01/24/25 - Away

71-65 W

Yuma 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 six consecutive games.

Several Buffaloes players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Sa?Veon Mccrimon, who posted 15 points. Arthur Murphy was another key player, dropping a double-double on 14 points and ten boards.

Yuma's record now sits at 7-5. As for Tempe, they dropped their record down to 10-11 with the loss, which was their third straight at home.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Yuma will challenge Desert Sunrise at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Yuma knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past three contests -- so hopefully Desert Sunrise likes a good challenge. As for Tempe, they will take on Dysart at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Dysart will roll in looking for their seventh straight win, something Tempe surely won't give up without a fight.