Basketball Recap: Nathan Simplicio's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Zuni over Grants

Zuni has been a dominant force so far, but they're in the middle of a mini-slump at the moment. They lost 80-55 to the Grants Pirates on Wednesday. The Thunderbirds were down 62-42 at the end of the third quarter, and things only got worse from there.

Several Thunderbirds players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Nathan Simplicio, who posted 11 points and eight boards. Simplicio is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last five games he's played. Another player making a difference was Deron Lastyano, who earned 14 points.

The defeat was their first at home , dropping their record down to 9-5. As for Grants, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a massive bump to their 7-8 record this season.

Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Zuni will square off against Wingate at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Wingate will roll in looking for their fourth straight victory, something Zuni surely won't give up without a fight. As for Grants, they will host Bernalillo at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Grants' favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last seven games.