Basketball Game Preview: Schurr Spartans vs. Downey Vikings

The Schurr Spartans will head out to face off against the Downey Vikings at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Schurr will be strutting in after a win while Downey will be coming in after a defeat.

Schurr took a loss when they played away from home on Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They enjoyed a cozy 50-35 victory over Mesrobian.

Meanwhile, while it was all tied up 28-28 at halftime, Downey was not quite St. Paul's equal in the second half on Monday. They might have been a little too into the holiday spirit, gifting the Swordsmen an easy 69-49 win. While losing is never fun, the Vikings can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 401st, while the Swordsmen are ranked 131st).

Schurr will need focus on slowing down Tyler Harris, one of several Downey players who made an impact when they last played. He posted 18 points and seven rebounds. Harris' evening made it seven games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Emari Welcome, who earned 11 points.

Downey's loss was their sixth straight on the road dating back to last season, which dropped their record down to 6-6. Those losses can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 59.8 points per game. As for Schurr, their victory bumped their record up to 2-7.

Schurr ended up a good deal behind Downey in their previous matchup back in November of 2019, losing 62-47. Thankfully for Schurr, Ryan Couso (who went 6 of 14 on his way to 19 points along with five rebounds 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.