Basketball Recap: Janayah Meeks' Big Game Can't Quite Lead Bakersfield over Independence

Bakersfield was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. The contest between them and the Independence Falcons didn't end well, with the Bakersfield Drillers falling 45-30. The Drillers were probably out for revenge after losing 56-28 to them when the teams met back in January of 2024, then they'll just have to keep looking.

Bakersfield's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Janayah Meeks, who posted seven points and 17 boards. Those 17 rebounds gave Meeks a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Natalya Robinson, who had four points.

Kenadi Walton was her usual excellent self, dropping a double-double on 24 points and 15 boards for Independence.

Bakersfield's defeat dropped their record down to 9-8. As for Independence, their win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 10-8.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Bakersfield has already played their next matchup (against Highland), but no score has been uploaded at the time of writing. Independence has also has no score uploaded for their next game, this one against Liberty.