The Rincon/University Rangers and the Pusch Ridge Christian Academy Lions will round out the year against one another at at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Monday, Rincon/University was able to grind out a solid victory over Sahuarita, taking the game 38-31.
| 12/16/24 @ Sahuarita | 18 |
| 12/13/24 @ Williams Field | 15 |
| 12/12/24 vs Cholla | 22 |
| 12/02/24 vs Queen Creek | 35 |
Rincon/University's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Leila O'Dowd, who dropped a double-double on 18 points and ten boards. The match was O'Dowd's fourth in a row with at least ten points. Daphne Safo was another key player, almost dropping a double-double on nine points and 14 boards.
Rincon/University smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in 23 consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Pusch Ridge Christian Academy put another one in the bag two weeks ago to keep their perfect season alive. Everything went their way against Seton Catholic as Pusch Ridge Christian Academy made off with a 51-29 win. The Lions have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four games by 22 points or more this season.
Pusch Ridge Christian Academy found their leader in sophomore Noelle Sunukjian, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten rebounds. With that strong performance, Sunukjian is now averaging an impressive 2.2 steals per game. Another player making a difference was Nicole NJoroge, who went 7 of 13 on her way to 17 points.
Pusch Ridge Christian Academy pushed their record up to 9-0 with the victory, which was their ninth straight on the road dating back to last season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 56.8 points per game. As for Rincon/University, their win ended a five-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 7-4.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Rincon/University has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 37.3 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Pusch Ridge Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 27 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Rincon/University couldn't quite finish off Pusch Ridge Christian Academy when the teams last played back in December of 2016 and fell 33-31. Thankfully for Rincon/University, Bree Olson (who went 8 of 13 on her way to 17 points in addition to eight boards and three steals) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
