Basketball Game Preview: Ellicott Thunderhawks vs. Las Animas Trojans

The Ellicott Thunderhawks will square off against the Las Animas Trojans at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

On Wednesday, Ellicott was beaten by The Vanguard School 105-41. The Thunderhawks have struggled against the Coursers recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Las Animas, who bounced back after a loss on the road back in December of 2024. They were the clear victor by a 66-41 margin over South Baca [Campo/Vilas/Pritchett] back in December of 2024. The win was some much needed relief for the Trojans as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.

Ellicott better focus on containing Kree Wallace and Aaron Vargas as the pair were huge in Las Animas' win. Wallace went 6 for 8 on his way to 15 points and five steals, while Vargas went 5 of 10 on his way to 15 points and three steals. Vargas is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last five games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Jesus Aguillar, who posted seven points and eight steals.

Las Animas was working as a unit and finished the game with 19 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.

Las Animas pushed their record up to 3-3 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 65.0 points per game. As for Ellicott, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-5.