The Nordhoff Rangers will square off against the Malibu Sharks at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
Nordhoff came up short against Channel Islands on Friday, falling 60-36. While losing is never fun, the Rangers can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 1128th, while the Raiders are ranked 444th).
Jonathan Roman put forth a good effort for the losing side as he went 5 for 10 en route to 13 points and five boards. Another player making a difference was Breyen Morrison, who posted four points.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Malibu, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They claimed a resounding 83-38 win over Lakeview Charter. The Sharks have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six matchups by 23 points or more this season.
Nordhoff better keep an eye on Dylan Goosen. He was instrumental in Malibu's win, going 18 of 34 on his way to 49 points in addition to seven assists and five rebounds. That makes it ten consecutive games in which Goosen has scored at least a third of Malibu's points. Tommy Cupp was another key player, putting up 14 points.
Nordhoff has traveled a rocky road recently having lost six of their last seven contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-18 record this season. Those losses can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 50.7 points per game. As for Malibu, their victory bumped their record up to 10-8.
Tuesday's game is shaping up to be a scrappy match: Nordhoff has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 30.3 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Malibu, though, as they've been averaging only 6 boards. Given Nordhoff's sizable advantage in that area, Malibu will need to find a way to close that gap.
Everything came up roses for Nordhoff against Malibu in their previous matchup back in January of 2024, as the squad secured an 83-40 win. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Goosen, who had 23 points along with six assists and five rebounds. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Nordhoff still be able to contain Goosen? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
