Preview: Manila Mustangs vs. Wendover Wildcats
The Manila Mustangs will be playing at home against the Wendover Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the pair posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Manila struggled with threes on Saturday (Tabiona had six more) and sadly the final score reflected it. Manila received a tough blow as they fell 72-56 to Tabiona.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Sim Brady, who scored 13 points along with three steals. Another player making a difference was Riley Browning, who scored 17 points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Meanwhile, Wendover had already won 11 in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 14.3 points), and they went ahead and made it 12 on Thursday. They claimed a resounding 80-53 win over Altamont at home. Wendover's offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Wendover's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Raul Valle led the charge by scoring 26 points along with six assists and five rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Valle has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Efren Delmuro, who scored 17 points along with five assists and three steals.
Manila's defeat dropped their record down to 10-4. As for Wendover, their win was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 12-1.
Friday's game is shaping up to be a scrappy contest: Manila have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 29.4 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Wendover struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 29.5 rebounds per game. Given Manila's sizeable advantage in that area, Wendover will need to find a way to close that gap.
Manila came up short against Wendover in their previous matchup back in March of 2023, falling 70-65. Will Manila have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get analysis of the match and other basketball content.
