Hamilton is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Rio Vista is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Hamilton Bulldogs will take on the Rio Vista Eagles at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both teams come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Hamilton posted their closest victory yet this season on Tuesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 52-50 victory over Itasca.
Hamilton's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Pierce Summers, who scored 15 points along with seven rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Jaxon Edwards, who scored ten points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Meanwhile, Rio Vista didn't have too much trouble with Italy on the road on Tuesday as they won 60-42.
Rio Vista's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Filippo Bencetti, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and 11 steals. Bencetti has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last 16 times he's played. Another player making a difference was Shamar Richburg, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten rebounds.
Hamilton now has a winning record of 12-11. As for Rio Vista, they have been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 16-12 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Hamilton have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 28.4 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Rio Vista struggles in that department as they've been averaging 37.8 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Hamilton lost to Rio Vista at home by a decisive 61-44 margin in their previous matchup back in February of 2023. Can Hamilton avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
