It'll be a Battle of the Birds when the Vista del Lago Ravens challenge the Citrus Hill Hawks at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday... Vista del Lago is coming into the match on a six-game losing streak.
Last Tuesday, Vista del Lago was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 59-54 to Paloma Valley.
Despite their defeat, Vista del Lago saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Ja'Marion Jackson, who went 5 for 12 en route to 13 points and eight boards, was perhaps the best of all. The team also got some help courtesy of Quinton Jinna-Smith, who went 6 of 13 on his way to 14 points.
Even though they lost, Vista del Lago smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 19 consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Citrus Hill was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They fell 65-52 to Hemet. While losing is never fun, the Hawks can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 648th, while the Bulldogs are ranked 300th).
Despite the defeat, Citrus Hill saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Jerren White dropped a double-double on 14 points and ten rebounds. White is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last 24 games he's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Alaric(AJ) Hayes, who posted 15 points.
Citrus Hill's loss dropped their record down to 12-9. As for Vista del Lago, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-16.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Vista del Lago has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 32.7 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Citrus Hill struggles in that department as they've been averaging 33.1 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Vista del Lago lost to Citrus Hill on the road by a decisive 58-42 margin in their previous matchup back in December of 2022. Thankfully for Vista del Lago, Jalyn Talbert (who dropped a double-double on 21 points and 14 rebounds) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
