The Sierra Grande Panthers's seven-game losing streak dating back to last season came to an end on Thursday. They slipped by Primero 33-32. That 33-32 margin sets a new team best for Sierra Grande this season.
Among those leading the charge was Alexandra Garcia, who scored six points along with eight rebounds and four steals. That's the first time this season that she pulled down eight or more rebounds. Another player making a difference was Yazmin Molina, who scored four points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Despite the defeat, Primero had strong showings from Isabela Maldonado, who scored 12 points along with seven rebounds, and Jaleysia Atkins , who scored six points. Maldonado scored a full 37.5% of Primero's points, the sixth time in a row she's earned more than a third of the team's points.
Sierra Grande's victory bumped their record up to 1-5. As for Primero, they now have a losing record at 3-4.
Sierra Grande will have some time to savor their victory since their next game is a little ways off: they'll take on Evangel Christian Academy at 12:00 p.m. on January 6, 2024. Evangel Christian Academy will be looking to extend their current five-game winning streak. Primero will get a bit of extra time to process the loss as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on Kim/Branson at 3:00 p.m. on January 5, 2024. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Colorado (Kim/Branson is ranked 219th, while Primero is ranked 221st).
