The Ponderosa Bruins were the 72-65 winner over the Lincoln Fighting Zebras when they last played one another back in February of 2023, but their luck changed this time around. Ponderosa took a 58-50 hit to the loss column at the hands of Lincoln on Thursday. Ponderosa has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
When it comes to explaining why Ponderosa lost, one person who can't be blamed is Keenan Patterson. Despite the final result, he dropped a double-double on 21 points and 12 rebounds. Patterson is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Lake Liebscher, who scored eight points along with seven rebounds and four steals.
Even though they lost, Ponderosa smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lincoln only pulled down five offensive rebounds.
Lincoln's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Jacob Butler, who dropped a double-double on ten points and ten blocks. Butler is absolutely dominating the block category: he's posted at least two every time he's taken the court this season. Triton Cox was another key contributor, scoring 18 points along with five rebounds.
Ponderosa now has a losing record at 10-11. As for Lincoln, the victory was the third in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 14-7.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Ponderosa will square off against Nevada Union at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. As for Lincoln, they will head out on the road to take on West Park at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
