Preview: Ysleta Indians vs. Bel Air Highlanders
The Ysleta Indians will head out on the road to square off against the Bel Air Highlanders at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Ysleta will be strutting in after a victory while Bel Air will be coming in after a defeat.
Last Tuesday, Ysleta earned a 51-44 win over Parkland.
Ysleta got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Azaiah Thompson out in front who scored 16 points along with five rebounds and four steals. Thompson is on a roll when it comes to points, as he's now scored 15 or more in the last 11 games he's played. Matthew Gonzalez was another key contributor, scoring 16 points along with three steals.
Meanwhile, Bel Air came up short against Hanks on Tuesday and fell 43-36. Bel Air has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Despite the defeat, Bel Air got a solid performance out of Anthony Favela, who scored ten points along with two steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Korryn Barnes, who scored nine points along with seven rebounds.
Ysleta is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five games, which provided a nice bump to their 14-9 record this season. As for Bel Air, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-13.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Ysleta have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 27 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Bel Air struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.9 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Ysleta came up short against Bel Air in their previous meeting back in February of 2023, falling 42-36. Can Ysleta avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
