Basketball Recap: Kalel Palacios' Big Game Can't Quite Lead Buena over Flowing Wells

Buena lost against Flowing Wells back in December of 2021 and unfortunately they wound up with the same result on Tuesday. The Buena Colts fell 50-37 to the Flowing Wells Caballeros. While losing is never fun, the Colts can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Arizona basketball rankings (they are ranked 150th, while the Caballeros are ranked 39th).

Buena lost despite a true team effort on offense, the best among them being Kalel Palacios, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and ten boards. That's the most rebounds Palacios has posted since back in December of 2023. Kashari Bullard-Baker was another key player, putting up eight points and six boards.

Even though they lost, Buena smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in five consecutive games.

Flowing Wells was led to victory by Nevaeh Urenda and Allison Verdugo. Urenda posted 21 points in addition to seven steals and five assists, while Verdugo dropped a double-double on ten points and 12 rebounds. Verdugo is becoming a predictor of Flowing Wells' success: when she posts at least eight boards the team is 12-1 (and 2-3 when she doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Nadia Hernandez, who had five points and five rebounds.

Buena now has a losing record at 5-6. As for Flowing Wells, they are on a roll lately: they've won ten of their last 12 contests, which provided a nice bump to their 14-4 record this season.

Buena wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next matchup, a 70-38 defeat against Pueblo on the 17th. Flowing Wells has also already played their next game, a 53-31 loss against Catalina Foothills on the 16th.