This season hasn't been kind to the PAL Academy Bulls, who are still winless after their fifth match. They were the victim of a tough 54-31 defeat at the hands of Lucerne Valley on Friday. PAL Academy has not had much luck with Lucerne Valley recently, as the team's come up short the last two times they've met.
Lucerne Valley got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Derrick Tyler out in front who scored 18 points along with six rebounds and three steals. That makes it three consecutive games in which Tyler has scored at least 25% of Lucerne Valley's points. Another player making a difference was Valentin Garibay, who scored ten points along with five assists.
PAL Academy's loss was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season, which bumped their record down to 0-5. That rough patch could be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they only averaged 20.6 points per game. As for Lucerne Valley, their victory ended a six-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 3-11.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. PAL Academy will take on Glenn at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Lucerne Valley will be staying on the road on Tuesday to face off against Victor Valley Christian at 7:00 p.m. on January 9th. Victor Valley Christian's defense has only allowed 27.6 points per game this season, so Lucerne Valley's offense will have their work cut out for Lucerne Valley.
