The Cholla Chargers posted their closest victory yet this season on Friday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 69-67 win over Rincon/University. The win was nothing new for Cholla as they're now sitting on three straight.
Cholla's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Michael Payne, who scored 21 points along with two steals. Another player making a difference was Jerry Mendoza, who scored 15 points along with seven assists and six rebounds.
When it comes to explaining why Rincon/University lost, one person who can't be blamed is Sam O'Dowd. Despite the final result, he scored 18 points along with five rebounds and four blocks. The team also got some help courtesy of Abel Munoz, who scored 11 points along with seven assists and two steals.
Even though they lost, Rincon/University smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cholla only pulled down five offensive rebounds.
Cholla has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matches, which provided a nice bump to their 11-5 record this season. As for Rincon/University, their loss was their fourth straight at home, which bumped their record down to 6-12.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Cholla will challenge Ironwood Ridge at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Ironwood Ridge has now lost eight straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since December 13. As for Rincon/University, they will head out on the road to square off against Cienega at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Cienega knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with flashy point totals in its past five contests -- so hopefully Rincon/University likes a good challenge.
