Basketball Game Preview: Encina Bulldogs vs. Futures Knights

The Encina Bulldogs will challenge the Futures Knights at 6:00 p.m. on Friday.

Encina is probably headed into the contest with a chip on their shoulder considering John Adams Academy Rsvl/Lin just ended the team's four-game winning streak last Friday. They took a hard 43-28 fall against the Patriots.

Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Khaliah McDonald, who dropped a double-double on ten points and 18 rebounds. She is on a roll when it comes to boards, as she's now pulled down 18 or more in the last four games she's played. Another player making a difference was Elise Brandon, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and 16 boards.

Even though they lost, Encina smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 36 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 16 offensive boards in seven consecutive matchups.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Futures, who bounced back after a loss on the road on December 13th. They blew past Victory Christian 51-31 on Friday. The win was some much needed relief for the Knights as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.

Futures' win came from a few key players Encina will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Emma Kharchenko, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and 14 boards. What's more, she also racked up two blocks, the most she's had since back in January. Nikole Vinokurov was another key player, dropping a double-double on 15 boards and ten steals.

Encina's defeat dropped their record down to 4-3. As for Futures, their victory bumped their record up to 4-8.

Encina came up short against Futures in their previous matchup back in January, falling 41-28. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Kharchenko, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and 23 rebounds. Now that Encina knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.