The Vista Panthers and the Central Spartans will compete for holiday cheer at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both will really light up the scoreboard.
Vista is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They took their matchup on Friday with ease, bagging a 71-30 victory over Pacific Ridge. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Panthers have posted since December 8, 2023.
Vista's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Isabella Mosley, who went 11 for 18 on her way to 26 points and three steals. That makes it three consecutive games in which Mosley has scored at least a third of Vista's points. Aaliyah Villegas was another key player, almost dropping a double-double on nine points and nine steals.
Vista smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive boards. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their offensive board total in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Central strolled past Steele Canyon with points to spare on Tuesday, taking the game 57-38. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Spartans.
Central's win came from a few key players Vista will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Maryanne Barrett, who almost dropped a double-double on 16 points and nine boards. The dominant performance gave her a new career-high in rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Julianna Estrada, who posted 15 points along with six rebounds and five assists.
The victory got Central back to even at 2-2. As for Vista, their win bumped their record up to 2-7.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Vista has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 28 boards per game. However, it's not like Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.5 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Vista beat Central 39-27 in their previous meeting back in December of 2023. Does Vista have another victory up their sleeve, or will Central turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
