Basketball Preview: San Diego Cavers vs. Patrick Henry Patriots
San Diego is 9-1 against the Patriots since January of 2016, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The San Diego Cavers will play host again and welcome the Patrick Henry Patriots, where tip off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Hopefully San Diego focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 17 on Tuesday.
San Diego put the finishing touches on their eighth blowout victory of the season. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Lincoln 55-20 at home. With San Diego ahead 30-9 at the half, the match was all but over already.
San Diego got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Mackenzie Nitzel out in front who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 12 rebounds. Nitzel is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as she's now pulled down ten or more in the last 14 games she's played. Lara Saucedo was another key contributor, scoring 17 points along with six rebounds and five steals.
Meanwhile, Patrick Henry struggled with offensive rebounds on Tuesday (the Centurions had seven more) and sadly the final score reflected it. Patrick Henry fell to the Centurions 41-37.
Despite their defeat, Patrick Henry saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Kimora Nears, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 12 rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Nears has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Taylor Perry, who scored nine points along with three steals.
The win got San Diego back to even at 11-11. As for Patrick Henry, they have been struggling recently as they've lost nine of their last 12 games, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-17 record this season.
Friday's contest is shaping up to be a scrappy match: San Diego have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 41.3 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Patrick Henry, though, as they've been averaging only 9.5 rebounds per game. Given San Diego's sizable advantage in that area, the Patriots will need to find a way to close that gap.
San Diego didn't have too much breathing room in their matchup against the Patriots in their previous meeting back in January, but they still walked away with a 35-30 victory. Does San Diego have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Patriots turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
