Preview: Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders vs. Otay Ranch Mustangs
The Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders will head out on the road to face off against the Otay Ranch Mustangs at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Mater Dei Catholic is hoping to put an end to a five-game streak of away losses.
Mater Dei Catholic posted their closest win since December 9, 2023 on Saturday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Temecula Valley 74-71. Having run the score up that high, both teams probably have some extra defensive drills coming up.
Mater Dei Catholic got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Lincoln Grogan out in front who scored 19 points along with six rebounds and two steals. Another player making a difference was Josiah Jefferson, who dropped a double-double on 18 points and ten rebounds.
Meanwhile, Otay Ranch was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Saturday as they fell 59-54 to Patrick Henry.
Despite their loss, Otay Ranch saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Percy Whittaker, who scored 13 points along with five rebounds and two steals, was perhaps the best of all. Manuel Franke was another key contributor, scoring 11 points along with two steals.
Mater Dei Catholic's victory bumped their record up to 12-10. As for Otay Ranch, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-16.
Keep an eye on the arc in Wednesday's game: Mater Dei Catholic have made nailing deep shots look easy this year this season, having only averaged 6.5 threes per game. It's a different story for Otay Ranch, though, as they've been averaging only 6.6 threes per game. Given Mater Dei Catholic's sizeable advantage in that area, Otay Ranch will need to find a way to close that gap.
Mater Dei Catholic was able to grind out a solid victory over Otay Ranch when the teams last played back in February of 2023, winning 74-65. The rematch might be a little tougher for Mater Dei Catholic since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
