Basketball Recap: Murray Comes Up Short

If Murray was riding high fresh off their 75-44 takedown of Jordan on Friday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The Spartans took a 60-47 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Juan Diego Catholic Soaring Eagle on Tuesday. The game marked the Spartans' lowest-scoring matchup so far this season.

When it comes to explaining why Murray lost, don't look at Isaiah Beh. Despite the final result, he posted 11 points along with eight rebounds and six assists. The team also got some help courtesy of Lucien Roumpos, who had nine points.

Deng Deng continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines for Juan Diego Catholic, almost dropping a triple-double with 20 points, 14 boards, and nine blocks. The contest was Deng's fifth in a row with at least 16 points. Another player making a difference was Javier Aguirre, who put up 14 points in addition to seven assists and seven rebounds.

Murray has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 3-6 record this season. As for Juan Diego Catholic, the victory was the third in a row for them, bringing their record up to 8-2.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming matchups. Murray and Cottonwood will compete for holiday cheer at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The Spartans will be up against the Colts' rather soft defense (which has allowed 53.89 points per contest), so fans could be in store for a big offensive performance. As for Juan Diego Catholic, they will venture away from home to face off against West at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The Soaring Eagle will be up against the Panthers' rather soft defense (which has allowed 62 points per game), so fans could be in store for a big offensive performance.