Basketball Game Preview: Natomas Nighthawks vs. El Camino Eagles

Two dominant guards in Manno Jenkins and Mitchell Stevenson are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Natomas Nighthawks will head out to square off against the El Camino Eagles at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. One thing working in Natomas' favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last 12 matchups.

Last Friday, Natomas took their game with ease, bagging a 90-49 victory over Sutter. Given the Nighthawks' advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 165th, while the Huskies are ranked 624th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Natomas' win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Aeron Wallace, who went 7 of 10 on his way to 18 points along with five assists and five rebounds. That's the most points Wallace has posted since back in December of 2024. Another player making a difference was Alfred Wilkins, who went 5 for 10 en route to 15 points and seven assists.

Natomas smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 12 consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, El Camino was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They were a single point away from ending the streak, but they lost a 69-68 heartbreaker at the hands of Woodland.

Natomas is on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last ten matches, which provided a nice bump to their 15-6 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 74.7 points per game. As for El Camino, their loss dropped their record down to 6-14.

Everything came up roses for Natomas against El Camino in their previous meeting on January 3rd, as the squad secured a 68-33 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Natomas since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.