Bear River is 0-10 against Ridgeline since February of 2021 but things could change on Thursday. The Bears will be playing at home against the Riverhawks at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with three losses in a row, Bear River turned things around against Deseret Peak on Tuesday. They secured a 37-33 W over the Golden Eagles.
Olivia Fry
| 01/27/26 @ Deseret Peak | 10 |
| 01/22/26 @ Mountain Crest | 9 |
| 01/20/26 vs Tooele | 11 |
Bear River's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Olivia Fry led the charge by putting up eight points and ten boards. Fry is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as she's now pulled down nine or more in each of the last three games she's played. Maylee Higley was another key player, scoring 15 points and three steals.
Bear River smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive rebounds in six consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Ridgeline was fully in charge on Tuesday, breezing past Stansbury 51-16. The Riverhawks have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won ten contests by 22 points or more this season.
Bear River better focus on containing Brooke Smith and Sianna Dowdin as the pair were huge in Ridgeline's win. Smith shot 56% from the field en route to 15 points along with five boards and four steals, while Dowdin almost dropped a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. Those nine boards gave Dowdin a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Sam Brown, who posted five points in addition to six rebounds and five assists.
Ridgeline's victory bumped their record up to 14-7. As for Bear River, their win bumped their record up to 8-12.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Bear River has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 37.5 boards per game. However, it's not like Ridgeline struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.9 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Bear River took a serious blow against Ridgeline in their previous matchup on January 6th, falling 60-28. That matchup was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Bears were down 40-6.
