Preview: El Camino Eagles vs. Manteca Buffaloes
The El Camino Eagles will head out on the road to challenge the Manteca Buffaloes at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. El Camino has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.
It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but El Camino had no problem doing just that on Monday. They blew past the Nighthawks 54-31.
Noelle Potratz continued her habit of posting crazy stat lines, dropping a double-double on 22 points and 17 rebounds. Potratz is crushing the block category: she's posted at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Kiena Thomas was another key contributor, scoring three points along with 12 rebounds and five assists.
Meanwhile, Manteca fought the good fight in their overtime match against Sierra on Tuesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell to the Timberwolves 58-53. The loss was a bit of a surprise, as Manteca came into the contest with a sizable advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 159th, while Sierra is ranked 429th).
Despite their defeat, Manteca saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Jada Ikharo, who scored 16 points along with three steals, was perhaps the best of all. Another player making a difference was Izabella Sanchez, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten rebounds.
El Camino is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last eight matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 16-13 record this season. As for Manteca, their loss dropped their record down to 22-6.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: El Camino have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 33.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Manteca struggles in that department as they've been averaging 34 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.
