Basketball Recap: Kayla Silva Leads a Balanced Attack to Beat Tulare Union

Hanford West hadn't done well against Tulare Union recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. The Hanford West Huskies came out on top against the Tulare Union The Tribe by a score of 42-31. This was payback for the Huskies, who suffered a 41-34 defeat the last time these two teams met.

Hanford West got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Kayla Silva out in front who almost dropped a double-double on 11 rebounds and nine steals. Silva is crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Mckenzee Batemon was another key player, almost dropping a double-double on 12 points and nine boards.

Hanford West smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 20 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.

Several The Tribe players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Jazzlynn Miller, who posted seven points and 11 rebounds. That's the most rebounds Miller has posted since back in December of 2023. The team also got some help courtesy of Kailee Gilbert, who had seven points along with seven rebounds and three steals.

Hanford West's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 3-3. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.0 points per game. As for Tulare Union, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost three of their last four matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-4 record this season.

Hanford West didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next contest, a 67-53 loss against El Diamante on the 17th. As for Tulare Union, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next game, a 40-31 defeat against Kerman on the 17th.