Basketball Recap: Escalante Comes Up Short

Escalante and Manila squared off in some playoff action on Wednesday, but Escalante had to settle for second. They lost to the Manila Mustangs on the road by a 63-48 margin. The Moquis were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Mustangs apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in November of 2021.

Manila's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Ruthanna Wilson, who posted 13 points in addition to eight boards and five steals. Wilson has become a key player for Manila: the team is 10-3 when she posts at least three steals, but 5-7 otherwise. Kallie Bair was another key player, going 5-for-11 en route to 14 points.

Escalante has been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 10-13 record this season. Manila's win bumped their record up to 15-10.

Escalante has already played their next game, a 36-32 victory against Altamont on the 27th. As for Manila, they also didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next contest, a 56-38 loss against Panguitch on the 27th.