Preview: Kearns Cougars vs. Alta Hawks
The Kearns Cougars will head out on the road to face off against the Alta Hawks at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Hopefully Kearns focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 25 on Friday.
Last Friday, Kearns had to suffer through a rough 67-28 loss at the hands of American Fork. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Kearns has scored all season.
Despite their defeat, Kearns saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Mina Kinikini, who scored six points along with six rebounds, was perhaps the best of all.
Kearns struggled to work together and finished the game with only four assists. That's the fewest assists they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Alta unfortunately witnessed the end of their six-game winning streak on Thursday. They fell to Pleasant Grove 57-52.
Despite their defeat, Alta saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Fuifuilupe Niumeitolu, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and ten rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. The contest was Niumeitolu's eighth in a row with at least ten points. Aolele Liavaa was another key contributor, scoring 12 points along with five steals.
Kearns' record now sits at 4-4. Alta's record now sits at 6-2.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Kearns have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 34.6 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Alta, though, as they've been averaging only 31.1 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Kearns skirted past Alta 53-50 in their previous meeting back in December of 2020. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Alta's Brinlee Mcrae, who scored 27 points along with three steals. Now that she won't be playing on Tuesday, will it be that much easier for Kearns to walk away with another win? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
