The Shiprock Chieftains will be playing at home against the Aztec Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Shiprock is coming into the game on a four-game losing streak.
Shiprock lost a heartbreaker when they last took the court, but unfortunately for them the loss they were handed on on Tuesday was a bit more commanding. They were beaten by Kirtland Central 71-31. Shiprock has struggled against Kirtland Central recently, as their contest on Tuesday was their ninth consecutive lost matchup.
Even though Aztec has not done well against Bloomfield recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. Aztec secured a 29-25 W over Bloomfield. The win made it back-to-back wins for Aztec.
Aztec's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Bailey Clarence, who scored five points along with 11 rebounds and three steals, and Jazzlyn Gomez, who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Shiprock has not been sharp recently as the team's lost six of their last eight matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-12 record this season. As for Aztec, they pushed their record up to 11-10 with that win, which was their fourth straight at home.
Shiprock came up short against Aztec when the teams last played back in January, falling 32-28. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Aztec's Nika Mckenzie, who scored 16 points along with eight rebounds and seven steals. Now that Shiprock knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
