The Central Spartans will be staying on the road on Thursday to face off against the Montgomery Aztecs at 3:30 p.m. on December 28th. Central has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.
Central scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Wednesday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat San Ysidro 70-34 on the road. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest win Central has managed all season.
Central's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Janelle Thomas, who dropped a double-double on 18 points and 12 rebounds. Those 12 rebounds set a new season-high mark for her. Victoria Zamora was another key contributor, scoring 14 points.
Meanwhile, Montgomery took their game at home on Wednesday with ease, bagging a 68-19 win over Mar Vista. The win was just what Montgomery needed coming off of a 62-27 defeat in their prior game.
Paula Zumstein and Jordan Whitehead were among the main playmakers for Montgomery as the former scored 13 points along with seven rebounds and four steals and the latter scored 20 points along with five steals. The contest was Zumstein's fourth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Genevieve Whitehead, who scored 11 points along with three steals.
Central's win bumped their record up to 4-6. As for Montgomery, their win bumped their record up to 6-8.
Thursday's contest is shaping up to be a scrappy matchup: Central have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 29.2 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Montgomery, though, as they've been averaging only 21.2 rebounds per game. Given Central's sizeable advantage in that area, Montgomery will need to find a way to close that gap.
Central might still be hurting after the 49-28 defeat they got from Montgomery in their previous matchup back in December of 2019. Thankfully for Central, Gichelle Villar (who scored 30 points) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.