Papillion-LaVista has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will face off against the Omaha Northwest Huskies at 7:15 p.m. on Friday. Hopefully Papillion-LaVista is not getting complacent, as they presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than the Huskies in Nebraska (the Monarchs are ranked 92nd, while the Huskies are ranked 211th).
Papillion-LaVista struggled with assists on Tuesday (the Vikings had 11 more) and sadly the final score reflected it. The matchup between Papillion-LaVista and the Vikings wasn't particularly close, with the Monarchs falling 68-52.
Despite the defeat, Papillion-LaVista had strong showings from Brock Rahl, who scored 11 points, and Eric Ingwerson, who scored seven points along with 13 rebounds. Ingwerson hasn't dropped below nine rebounds for three straight games. Garin Maley was another key contributor, scoring six points along with five rebounds.
Meanwhile, Omaha Northwest's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Tuesday after their third straight defeat. Their tough 67-45 defeat to Gretna might stick with them for a while. Omaha Northwest has not had much luck with the Dragons recently, as the team's come up short the last two times they've met.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Chiok John, who scored ten points along with seven rebounds and three blocks. Another player making a difference was Dontae McDowell, who scored eight points.
Omaha Northwest struggled to work together and finished the game with only four assists. They are winless (0-3) when they just don't pass the ball.
Papillion-LaVista's record is now 8-7. Omaha Northwest's record is now 3-12.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Papillion-LaVista have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 34.6 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Omaha Northwest struggles in that department as they've been averaging 25.2 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything came up roses for Papillion-LaVista against the Huskies when the teams last played back in January of 2023 as the team secured a 82-36 victory. With Papillion-LaVista ahead 52-24 at the half, the match was all but over already.
