The Modoc Braves will be playing in front of their home fans against the Mt. Shasta Bears at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Hopefully Modoc focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 19 on Friday.
Last Friday, Modoc strolled past the Lions with points to spare, taking the game 51-33. Given Modoc's advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 332nd, while the Lions are ranked 810th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Modoc's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Julianna Minto led the charge by dropping a double-double on ten points and ten rebounds. Minto hasn't dropped below eight rebounds for four straight games. Another player making a difference was Jordyn Sandage, who scored 13 points along with five steals.
Meanwhile, Mt. Shasta's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Friday after their 17th straight loss. They were outmatched by Fall River at home and fell 70-27. Mt. Shasta was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 46-13.
Mt. Shasta's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Emily Pigoni, who scored seven points along with nine rebounds, and Ellery DeArton who scored no points. It was the first time this season that Pigoni pulled down eight or more rebounds.
Modoc's win bumped their record up to 16-8. As for Mt. Shasta, their loss was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season, which dropped their record down to 1-21.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Modoc have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 35.7 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Mt. Shasta struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything went Modoc's way against the Bears when the teams last played two weeks ago as the Braves made off with a 43-23 win. Will Modoc repeat their success, or do the Bears have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
