Salida hasn't had much luck against Pagosa Springs recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Salida Spartans will be playing at home against the Pagosa Springs Pirates at 5:30 p.m. Salida is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 51.3 points per game this season.
Back in December of 2024, Salida was fully in charge, breezing past La Junta 57-21. The Spartans have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three contests by 29 points or more this season.
It was another big night for Braeden Johnson, who went 9 for 17 on her way to 25 points in addition to eight assists and six steals. She is becoming a predictor of Salida's success: when she posts at least five steals the team is undefeated (and 1-2 when she doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Graysa Kindle, who went 5 for 10 on her way to 12 points in addition to seven boards and three steals.
Johnson wasn't the only one working in the assists department: Salida was working as a unit and finished the game with 13 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as La Junta only racked up four assists.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Pagosa Springs, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They rang in the new year with a 50-42 win over Kent Denver on Saturday.
Pagosa Springs' win came from a few key players Salida will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Karsyn Shahan, who posted 15 points and six boards. That's the most points she has posted since back in November of 2023. The team also got some help courtesy of Kylie Ketchum, who had six points and three steals.
Pagosa Springs' victory was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-2. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 25.6 points. As for Salida, their win bumped their record up to 4-2.
Salida came up short against Pagosa Springs when the teams last played back in December of 2023, falling 42-37. Will Salida have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
