Basketball Game Preview: Rivera Raiders vs. Pace Vikings

The Rivera Raiders will venture away from home to square off against the Pace Vikings at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Rivera is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last four games.

If Pace heads into halftime all tied up, they better play a good second half: that's when Rivera took over last week. Rivera came out on top against Mercedes by a score of 52-41 on Tuesday.

Rivera got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Xandria Johnson out in front who posted 16 points. The contest was Johnson's fourth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Cassandra Pardo, who earned 11 points.

Meanwhile, Pace entered their tilt with Donna North on Tuesday with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. They strolled past the Chiefs with points to spare, taking the game 43-26. The team accrued 31 points in the first half and coasted on those for the victory.

Rivera better keep an eye on Bre Nelson. She was instrumental in Pace's win, dropping a double-double on 19 points and 13 boards. Nelson has been hot, having also posted two or more steals the last seven times she's played. Rebecca Ruiz was another key player, putting up four points.

Pace smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 23 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive boards they've posted since back in November of 2024.

Rivera pushed their record up to 23-14 with the win, which was their sixth straight at home. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.8 points per game. As for Pace, their record now sits at 12-18.

Rivera strolled past Pace in their previous meeting back in December of 2024 by a score of 49-33. The rematch might be a little tougher for Rivera since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.