The Westinghouse Warriors will head out on the road to face off against the Crane Medical Cougars at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Thursday, it was close, but Westinghouse sidestepped Taft for a 46-44 win. The win was just what Westinghouse needed coming off of a 63-37 loss in their prior matchup.
Jamilah Jackson was her usual excellent self, dropping a double-double on 15 points and ten rebounds. The contest was her fifth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Niera Newman, who scored nine points along with eight rebounds.
Meanwhile, Crane Medical put another one in the bag on Thursday to keep their perfect season alive. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat North Grand 70-14 at home. Considering Crane Medical has won seven games by more than 24 points this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Crane Medical's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Shauntee Turner led the charge by scoring 14 points along with eight rebounds and five steals. Turner set a new season high mark in blocks with three. Another player making a difference was Sariah Allen, who scored 17 points along with eight steals and five rebounds.
Westinghouse's victory was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 6-2. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 50.3 points per game. As for Crane Medical, their victory bumped their record up to 9-0.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Westinghouse have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 38.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Crane Medical struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 28.8 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything came up roses for Westinghouse against Crane Medical when the teams last played back in December of 2018 as the squad secured a 45-18 win. Does Westinghouse have another victory up their sleeve, or will Crane Medical turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.