If the Palo Verde Titans were feeling good off their 66-11 takedown of the San Miguel Vipers last Tuesday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The game between Palo Verde and Safford wasn't particularly close, with Palo Verde falling 61-45. Palo Verde was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Safford apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in January of 2023.
Despite the loss, Palo Verde still got an impressive performance from Gaby Oliver, who shot 4-for-6 from long range and almost dropped a double-double on 30 points and nine rebounds. Oliver is crushing the steal category: she's posted at least five every time she's taken the court this season. Paige White was another key contributor, scoring two points along with six rebounds.
Safford got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Jaidyn Mortensen out in front who scored 19 points. Another player making a difference was Hannah Schade, who scored 13 points.
Palo Verde's loss dropped their record down to 3-16. As for Safford, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four games, which provided a massive bump to their 7-12 record this season.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Palo Verde will take on Thatcher at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Safford, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Globe at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Globe will be up against Safford's rather soft defense (which has allowed 50.4 points per match), so fans could be in store for a big offensive showing.
