Basketball Game Preview: Vincent Memorial Scots vs. Central Spartans

The Vincent Memorial Scots will head out to challenge the Central Spartans at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Vincent Memorial is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 52.5 points per game this season.

Last Tuesday, Vincent Memorial earned a 44-36 win over Palo Verde Valley. Given the Scots' advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 323rd, while the Yellow Jackets are ranked 797th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Vincent Memorial's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Daniella Ortega led the charge by putting up 18 points and four steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Paola Longoria, who posted six points along with nine rebounds and eight blocks.

Meanwhile, it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Central ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They managed a 57-51 victory over Palo Verde Valley. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Spartans.

Central's win came from a few key players Vincent Memorial will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Victoria Zamora, who put up 20 points in addition to five steals and three blocks. That makes it three consecutive games in which she has scored at least a third of Central's points. Maryanne Barrett was another key player, earning 16 points and four steals.

Central is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a nice bump to their 12-9 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 50.3 points per game. As for Vincent Memorial, their record now sits at 13-5.

Vincent Memorial took their win against Central in their previous meeting back in December of 2023 by a conclusive 44-22. The rematch might be a little tougher for Vincent Memorial since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.