Basketball Game Preview: Whitney Wildcats vs. Rocklin Thunder

The Whitney Wildcats will face off against the Rocklin Thunder at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Whitney will be strutting in after a victory while Rocklin will be coming in after a defeat.

Having struggled with three losses in a row, Whitney turned things around against Granite Bay on Tuesday. They walked away with a 51-38 win over the Grizzlies. Given the Wildcats' advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 108th, while the Grizzlies are ranked 456th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Whitney got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Kendall Dykstra out in front who went 8 of 15 en route to 22 points. That's the most points Dykstra has posted since back in February of 2024. Another player making a difference was Natalia Benavidez, who posted ten points and three steals.

Meanwhile, Rocklin came up short against Davis Sr. on Tuesday and fell 59-47. While the Thunder didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Blue Devils 17-12 in the first quarter.

Rocklin has been struggling recently as they've lost six of their last seven contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 9-10 record this season. As for Whitney, their win bumped their record up to 12-8.

Everything came up roses for Whitney against Rocklin in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, as the squad secured a 69-37 victory. Does Whitney have another victory up their sleeve, or will Rocklin turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.