The Palo Verde Titans will be playing at home against the Tanque Verde Hawks at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Given that the pair suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this match.
Palo Verde unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Tuesday. They took a 57-52 hit to the loss column at the hands of Thatcher.
Despite the loss, Palo Verde had strong showings from Adrain Powers, who scored 13 points along with eight rebounds and three steals, and Daniel Ortiz, who scored 13 points along with seven rebounds and four steals. Powers is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last three games he's played. Kameron Pippen was another key contributor, scoring nine points.
Meanwhile, Tanque Verde pushed their score all the way to 56 on Tuesday, but even that wasn't enough to win. The contest between them and Pusch Ridge Christian Academy wasn't particularly close, with Tanque Verde falling 75-56. Tanque Verde has struggled against the Lions recently, as their matchup on Tuesday was their ninth consecutive lost matchup.
The match pitted two dominant guards against one another in Rich Knott and Mason Hoke. Hoke had a great game and scored 16 points along with five rebounds and two blocks. Meanwhile, Knott did his best for the losing side, almost dropping a double-double on 18 points and nine rebounds.
Palo Verde's loss dropped their record down to 16-6. As for Tanque Verde, their defeat dropped their record down to 12-9.
Some high-performance offense is likely on the agenda as the two teams are some of the highest scoring teams in the league. Palo Verde hasn't had any problem running up the score this season, having averaged 62.7 points per game. However, it's not like Tanque Verde struggles in that department as they've been averaging 58.9 points per game. With both teams so easily able to put up points, the only question left is who can run the score up higher.
Palo Verde came up short against the Hawks when the teams last played back in February of 2023, falling 67-54. Will Palo Verde have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
