The Sierra Linda Bulldogs's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Friday after their seventh straight loss. They lost to North Canyon at home by a decisive 57-43 margin. The loss was just more heartbreak for Sierra Linda, who fell 48-45 when the teams last met back in January of 2023.
Several Bulldogs players turned in solid performances, despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Mariana Mathis, who scored 15 points along with four steals. Mathis hasn't dropped below two steals for five straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of Shania Holmes, who scored 12 points along with five steals.
North Canyon's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Lanaya McCloud, who scored 20 points along with seven rebounds and five steals. Another player making a difference was Jonni Brown, who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Sierra Linda has been struggling recently, as they've lost eight of their last nine games, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-14 record this season. As for North Canyon, they pushed their record up to 8-6 with that win, which was their third straight on the road.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Sierra Linda will challenge Metro Tech at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Metro Tech has now lost eight straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since December 5. As for North Canyon, they will head out on the road to challenge South Mountain at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Arizona (South Mountain is ranked 164th, while North Canyon is ranked 165th).
