Basketball Recap: Khari Gurley Leads a Balanced Attack to Beat Safford

After losing to Safford the last time they met, Empire decided to demonstrate that turnabout is fair play. The Empire Ravens were the clear victor by a 71-45 margin over the Safford Bulldogs on Saturday. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Ravens.

Empire's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Khari Gurley, who posted 11 points along with five boards and three steals. Gurley has been hot recently, having posted three or more steals the last three times he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Donovan Davidson, who earned eight points.

Empire has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games, which provided a nice bump to their 6-6 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 63.3 points per game. As for Safford, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost four of their last five matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-7 record this season.

After both having extra time off, Empire and Cholla will shake off the cobwebs and take on one another at 7:00 p.m. on January 7, 2025. Cholla will roll in looking for their ninth straight victory, something Empire surely won't give up without a fight. As for Safford, they will have a little extra prep time after the defeat as they won't be playing again for a while. They'll take on St. David at 7:00 p.m. on January 7, 2025.