Basketball Recap: Canyon del Oro Takes a Loss

Canyon del Oro was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They were five points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 59-54 heartbreaker at the hands of the Vista Grande Spartans. The Dorados were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Spartans apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in November of 2023.

Despite the loss, Canyon del Oro saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Henry Matus went 9 of 14 on his way to 24 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Matus has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Mykael Nunez, who almost dropped a double-double on 12 points and nine boards.

Vista Grande's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Lyle Austin led the charge by going 7 for 15 en route to 18 points. Austin's evening made it ten games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. Ju Ju Rodgers was another key player, going 5 of 12 on his way to 15 points and five rebounds.

Canyon del Oro's defeat dropped their record down to 11-5. As for Vista Grande, they are on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight games, which provided a massive bump to their 10-6 record this season.

Canyon del Oro has already played their next match, a 67-54 win against Maricopa on the 21st. As for Vista Grande, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next contest, a 63-60 loss against Mountain View on the 21st.