The Andover Trojans waltzed into their game on Friday with six straight wins but they left with seven. They enjoyed a cozy 68-52 victory over Valley Center. Given Andover's advantage in MaxPreps' Kansas basketball rankings (they are ranked 33rd, while Valley Center is ranked 228th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
It was another big night for Blake Rucker, who scored 28 points along with seven rebounds and three steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points he has scored all season. Joshua Kim was another key contributor, scoring 16 points along with five assists.
Valley Center's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Austin Saner, who scored 20 points. Another player making a difference was Hank Welu, who scored 17 points along with six rebounds.
Andover's win was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-3. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 65.5 points per game. As for Valley Center, they are on a four-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 2-12.
Andover will head out on the road to challenge Arkansas City at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. One thing working in Andover's favor is that they have posted big point totals in their last seven games. As for Valley Center, they have the luxury of staying home another game and will welcome Goddard at 7:30 p.m. on February 6th. Valley Center is strutting with some offensive muscle, as they've averaged 52.9 points per game this season.
