Basketball Recap: Heritage Academy Gateway Takes a Loss

It's hard to turn regular season success into postseason wins, a fact Heritage Academy Gateway can now relate to. They took a blow against Sequoia Pathfinder Verrado Way on Wednesday, falling 85-48. While losing is never fun, the Heroes can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Arizona basketball rankings (they are ranked 64th, while Sequoia Pathfinder Verrado Way are ranked ninth).

Talon Lemieux

Field Goal Percentage (Career)

02/12/25 @ Sequoia Pathfinder Verrado Way	75%
01/10/24 vs Mission Heights Prep	71%
02/01/24 vs Alta Vista	67%
02/05/25 @ BASIS - Chandler	64%
01/30/25 vs Heritage Academy	64%

When it comes to explaining why Heritage Academy Gateway lost, don't look at Talon Lemieux. Despite the final result, he almost dropped a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. The dominant performance also gave Lemieux a new career-high in field goal percentage (75%). Cayleb Couch was another key player, putting up nine points.

Even though they lost, Heritage Academy Gateway smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive boards in three consecutive contests.

Heritage Academy Gateway dropped their record down to 13-8 with the defeat, which was their third straight on the road. As for Sequoia Pathfinder Verrado Way, the win (which was their sixth in a row) raised their record to 24-2.

Heritage Academy Gateway does not have any more games scheduled as of now. As for Sequoia Pathfinder Verrado Way, they will square off against East Valley Athletes for Christ at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. One thing working in Sequoia Pathfinder Verrado Way's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last 18 matches.