Basketball Recap: Jason Raga Key Part of a Team Effort in Thundering Herd Win

Elk Grove won the last time they faced Pleasant Grove and things went their way on Wednesday too. The Elk Grove Thundering Herd strolled past the Pleasant Grove Eagles with points to spare, taking the game 58-44. Given the Thundering Herd's advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 198th, while the Eagles are ranked 553rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Elk Grove's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Jason Raga led the charge by putting up 11 points and five rebounds. The dominant performance gave Raga a new career-high in boards. Moshae Ward also deserves some recognition as he posted his first block of the season.

Pleasant Grove's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Christopher Billy, who posted eight points and six rebounds. Another player making a difference was Pharrell Williams, who put up nine points and three steals.

The victory made it two in a row for Elk Grove and bumps their season record up to 17-8. As for Pleasant Grove, they have also been struggling recently as they've lost ten of their last 11 matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-18 record this season.

Elk Grove will take on Franklin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Elk Grove has been dominant on offense recently, having racked up an incredible 182 points over their last three games. As for Pleasant Grove, they will face off against Laguna Creek at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Pleasant Grove is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 55.1 points per game this season.