Basketball Game Preview: Red Mesa Redskins vs. Ash Fork Spartans

The Red Mesa Redskins will square off against the Ash Fork Spartans at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Red Mesa has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.

Red Mesa will bounce into Saturday's matchup after beating Rock Point, who they had gone 2-7 against in their nine prior meetings. Red Mesa came out on top against Rock Point by a score of 62-51 on Thursday.

Red Mesa's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jonah Herbert, who dropped a double-double on 20 points and 12 boards. Another player making a difference was Jovun Paul, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten steals.

Red Mesa smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in ten consecutive games.

Meanwhile, Ash Fork was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They took a 45-36 hit to the loss column at the hands of Grand Canyon.

Red Mesa will have to contain Miclo Ayala as he made an impact in Ash Fork's last game. He dropped a double-double on 13 points and 11 rebounds. The dominant performance gave Ayala a new career-high in boards. Jhovanny Vazquez was another key player, putting up eight points and eight rebounds.

The victory got Red Mesa back to even at 12-12. As for Ash Fork, their loss dropped their record down to 5-15.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Red Mesa has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.8 boards per game. However, it's not like Ash Fork struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.9 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Red Mesa couldn't quite finish off Ash Fork when the teams last played back in December of 2023 and fell 39-37. Will Red Mesa have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.