Basketball Game Preview: West Jordan Jaguars vs. West Panthers

A feisty cat fight will be fought when the West Jordan Jaguars face off against the West Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday... Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Having struggled with five losses in a row dating back to last season, West Jordan turned things around against Maple Mountain on Tuesday. They managed a 53-49 win over the Golden Eagles.

West Jordan's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Giselle Muffett led the charge by putting up 15 points and three steals. The game was Muffett's fifth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Marlee Reupena, who posted 15 points and five rebounds.

Meanwhile, West put another one in the bag on Tuesday to keep their perfect season alive. They put the hurt on Viewmont with a sharp 60-40 victory. The Panthers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three contests by 20 points or more this season.

West Jordan better focus on containing Fina Tuha and Kylee Falatea as the pair were huge in West's win. Tuha dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten rebounds, while Falatea went 7 of 17 on her way to 16 points in addition to seven assists and five boards. Falatea is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last 23 games she's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Alemaulii Fonoti, who had six points and 12 rebounds.

West Jordan's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-3. As for West, their victory bumped their record up to 4-0.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: West Jordan has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 31.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like West struggles in that department as they've been averaging 61 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

West Jordan won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer in their previous matchup back in December of 2020, slipping by West 65-64. Does West Jordan have another victory up their sleeve, or will West turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.