After four games on the road, Manteca is heading back home. They will take on the Sierra Timberwolves at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Sierra took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Manteca, who comes in off a win.
Last Thursday, Manteca got the win against the Mustangs by a conclusive 50-30. The victory was just what Manteca needed coming off of a 92-34 loss in their prior contest.
Manteca's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Izabella Sanchez led the charge by scoring 14 points along with five rebounds and four steals. Another player making a difference was Michailla Springs, who scored 15 points.
Meanwhile, Sierra struggled with three-point shooting accuracy on Thursday (the Jaguars were 30% better) and sadly the final score reflected it. Sierra took a 54-44 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Jaguars.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Mya Everett, who scored 13 points along with eight rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Emma Gilmore, who scored seven points along with eight rebounds and three steals.
Manteca has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven matches, which provided a nice bump to their 22-5 record this season. As for Sierra, their defeat dropped their record down to 14-12.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Manteca have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 34.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Sierra struggles in that department as they've been averaging 35.4 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Manteca came out on top in a nail-biter against the Timberwolves when the teams last played back in January, sneaking past 55-53. Will Manteca repeat their success, or do the Timberwolves have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
