Basketball Game Preview: Royal Highlanders vs. Santa Clara Saints

The Royal Highlanders will venture away from home to challenge the Santa Clara Saints at 6:00 p.m. on Monday.

Royal is headed into the matchup out to prove that what happened against Oxnard on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Royal was beaten by Oxnard 76-47. The Highlanders have struggled against the Yellowjackets recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.

Royal might have lost, but man, Ace Arnold was a machine: he went 6 for 13 on his way to 23 points in addition to five rebounds and three steals. The game was Arnold's fourth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Cade Conmay, who posted 12 points.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Santa Clara). They put the hurt on Antelope Valley with a sharp 73-52 victory on Saturday. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest win of the season.

The victory made it two in a row for Santa Clara and bumps their season record up to 3-15. As for Royal, they now have a losing record at 9-10.

Royal was able to grind out a solid win over Santa Clara when the teams last played back in November of 2021, winning 61-53. Does Royal have another victory up their sleeve, or will Santa Clara turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.