The Bella Vista Broncos struggled with assists on Thursday (the Woodcreek Timberwolves had nine more) and sadly the final score reflected it. Bella Vista took a hard 60-42 fall against Woodcreek. While losing is never fun, Bella Vista can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 508th, while Woodcreek is ranked 113th).
When it comes to explaining why Bella Vista lost, one person who can't be blamed is Damian Rickett. Despite the final result, he scored 28 points along with six rebounds. Another player making a difference was Mark Otrotsyuk, who scored two points along with two blocks.
Woodcreek's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Tyler Hennessey, who almost dropped a double-double on 16 points and nine rebounds. Hennessey is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last three games he's played. Max VanLaningham was another key contributor, scoring 14 points along with eight rebounds and five blocks.
Bella Vista's defeat dropped their record down to 11-15. As for Woodcreek, they are on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 20-6 record this season.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Bella Vista will challenge Inderkum at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. One thing working in Inderkum's favor is that they have posted big point totals in their last 11 games. As for Woodcreek, they will head out on the road to square off against River Valley at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Woodcreek is strutting with some offensive muscle, as they've averaged 64.7 points per game this season.
