The Yucaipa Thunderbirds had to endure a four-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 56-53 win over Santiago on Saturday. The final score was a far cry from the score of their previous head-to-head, which saw the teams combine for a single point.
Yucaipa's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Malik Young, who scored 23 points. That makes it five consecutive games in which Young has scored at least 25% of Yucaipa's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Tristan Doty, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 16 rebounds.
Yucaipa's victory bumped their record up to 8-11. As for Santiago, their loss dropped their record down to 11-11.
Yucaipa will head out on the road to face off against Redlands at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The timing is sure in Redlands' favor as the team sits on three straight wins at home while Yucaipa has been banged up by six consecutive losses on the road dating back to last season. Santiago will take on Centennial at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
