Preview: Palisade Bulldogs vs. Grand Junction Central Warriors
Palisade and Grand Junction Central are an even 4-4 against one another since December of 2015, but not for long. The Palisade Bulldogs will head out on the road to take on the Grand Junction Central Warriors at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Palisade is coming into the matchup on a four-game losing streak.
Last Friday, Palisade came up short against Glenwood Springs and fell 62-51. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Palisade in their matchups with Glenwood Springs: they've now lost three in a row.
Despite their defeat, Palisade saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Hunter Howard, who scored 13 points along with three steals, was perhaps the best of all. Layne Ruppelius was another key contributor, scoring nine points.
Meanwhile, Grand Junction Central was able to grind out a solid victory over Durango on Friday, taking the game 51-39. The win made it back-to-back wins for Grand Junction Central.
Grand Junction Central's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Asher Carter led the charge by scoring ten points along with five rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Carter has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Jackson Amos, who scored eight points along with three steals.
Palisade has been struggling recently, as they've lost five of their last six matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-10 record this season. As for Grand Junction Central, their win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-6.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Palisade have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 24.5 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Grand Junction Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging 25 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Palisade lost to Grand Junction Central on the road by a decisive 52-37 margin in their previous matchup back in January of 2023. Can Palisade avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
