Basketball Game Preview: Zuni Thunderbirds vs. Hozho Academy Wolves

The Zuni Thunderbirds will challenge the Hozho Academy Wolves at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Hozho Academy took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Zuni, who comes in off a win.

Zuni gave their fans exactly what they wanted out of a home opener on Tuesday. They breezed past Ramah to the tune of 78-22. The Thunderbirds pushed the score to 60-20 by the end of the third, a deficit the Mustangs had no chance of recovering from.

Deron Lastyano

Rebounds

12/02/25 vs Ramah	10
02/21/25 @ Tohatchi	9
02/19/25 @ Newcomb	8
02/15/25 vs Thoreau	8
02/14/25 vs Crownpoint	2
+ 11 more games

Zuni can attribute much of their success to Deron Lastyano, who dropped a triple-double with 16 points, ten boards, and ten assists, and Ty'Shawn Nieto, who dropped a double-double with 18 points and 18 rebounds. That's the most boards Lastyano has posted since back in January. Another player making a difference was Jeremiah Eisenga, who scored 12 points along with seven rebounds and four blocks.

Meanwhile, Hozho Academy lost 72-52 to Menaul on Saturday.