The Manteca Buffaloes came tearing into Tuesday's matchup with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.3 points) and they left with even more momentum. They enjoyed a cozy 61-44 win over Kimball. Given Manteca's advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 135th, while the Jaguars are ranked 327th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Manteca's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Izabella Sanchez led the charge by dropping a double-double on 20 points and 14 rebounds. Sanchez is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as she's now pulled down eight or more in the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Jada Ikharo, who dropped a double-double on ten points and 11 rebounds.
When it comes to explaining why Kimball lost, one person who can't be blamed is Emma Coronado. Despite the final result, she scored 28 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Gabrille Robinson, who scored five points along with four steals.
Kimball struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only four offensive rebounds. They were crushed by their opponents in that department as Manteca pulled down 16 offensive rebounds.
Manteca is on a roll lately: they've won ten of their last 11 matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 21-4 record this season. As for Kimball, their loss dropped their record down to 15-9.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Manteca won't have much time to rest: their next matchup is against the Rams at 7:00 p.m. on January 31st. St. Mary's will be looking to keep their six-game home win streak alive. As for Kimball, they will head out on the road to face off against the Timberwolves at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.
