Basketball Preview: Pleasanton Bulldogs vs. Central Valley Cougars
Pleasanton is 9-0 against the Cougars since January of 2017, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. Having just played yesterday, the Pleasanton Bulldogs will get right back to it and host the Central Valley Cougars at 6:00 p.m. on February 6th. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are closely ranked in Nebraska (Pleasanton is ranked 178th, while the Cougars are ranked 168th).
Pleasanton's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Monday after their third straight loss. They took a 56-42 bruising from Sumner-Eddyville-Miller. Pleasanton has not had much luck with the Mustangs recently, as the team's come up short the last two times they've met.
Pleasanton's loss came about despite a quality game from Tyra Sekutera, who scored 18 points. It was the first time this season that Sekutera scored 15 or more points. Another player making a difference was Jaycee Flood, who scored six points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Even though they lost, Pleasanton smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, you can't lose the game if you win every quarter, and that was precisely Central Valley's strategy against the Beavers on Thursday. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that Central Valley blew the Beavers out of the water with a 58-16 final score. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest victory Central Valley has managed all season.
Central Valley's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Cayle Grossart led the charge by scoring 11 points along with two steals. Mia Butcher was another key contributor, scoring nine points along with five rebounds and two blocks.
Pleasanton has been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-11 record this season. As for Central Valley, their win bumped their record up to 12-8.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Pleasanton have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 28.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Central Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30.8 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything came up roses for Pleasanton against the Cougars in their previous meeting back in January of 2023 as the team secured a 71-36 victory. With Pleasanton ahead 51-17 at the half, the match was all but over already.
