Tanque Verde has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Palo Verde Titans at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Tanque Verde knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with flashy point totals in its past seven matches -- so hopefully the Titans likes a good challenge.
Tanque Verde pushed their score all the way to 56 on Tuesday, but even that wasn't enough to win. They received a tough blow as they fell 75-56 to Pusch Ridge Christian Academy. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Tanque Verde in their matchups with the Lions: they've now lost nine in a row.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Rich Knott, who almost dropped a double-double on 18 points and nine rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Parker Loomis, who scored 13 points.
Meanwhile, after a string of three wins, Palo Verde's good fortune finally ran out on Tuesday. They fell to Thatcher 57-52.
Palo Verde's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Adrain Powers, who scored 13 points along with eight rebounds and three steals, and Daniel Ortiz who scored 13 points along with seven rebounds and four steals. Powers hasn't dropped below eight rebounds for three straight games. Kameron Pippen was another key contributor, scoring nine points.
Tanque Verde's record is now 12-9. Palo Verde's record is now 16-6.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Tanque Verde have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 37.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Palo Verde struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.2 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Tanque Verde beat the Titans 67-54 in their previous meeting back in February of 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for Tanque Verde since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
