Esparto has enjoyed the comforts of home their last two games, but now they'll head out on the road. They will square off against the Golden Sierra Grizzlies at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. That game will pit two of the most dominant players against one another: Antonio Seastrunk Jr. and Patrick Bingham.
Esparto suffered their biggest defeat since December 18, 2023 on Tuesday. Their tough 60-40 loss to Vacaville Christian might stick with them for a while. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss Esparto has suffered against Vacaville Christian since January 4, 2020.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Cohen Sihapanya, who scored 11 points along with eight rebounds. He continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Angel Torres, who scored seven points along with seven rebounds and four blocks.
Meanwhile, Golden Sierra scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Tuesday. They blew past San Juan 66-27 at home. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory Golden Sierra has posted yet this season.
It was another big night for Bingham, who dropped a triple-double on ten points, 20 rebounds, and 13 assists. Bingham is absolutely dominating the rebound category: he's posted at least eight every time he's taken the court this season. Connor Warren was another key contributor, scoring 15 points along with eight rebounds.
Esparto's defeat dropped their record down to 1-16. As for Golden Sierra, the win makes it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 5-13.
Friday's game is shaping up to be a scrappy match: Esparto have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 19.5 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Golden Sierra, though, as they've been averaging only 42.6 rebounds per game. Given Esparto's sizeable advantage in that area, Golden Sierra will need to find a way to close that gap.
Esparto won a contest that couldn't have been any closer in their previous matchup back in February of 2023, slipping by Golden Sierra 73-72. Will Esparto repeat their success, or does Golden Sierra have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
