Sparks has been on the road for seven straight, but on Wednesday they'll finally head home. They will take on the Hug Hawks at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Last Friday, Sparks came up short against North Valleys and fell 65-57.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Omar McKenzie, who scored nine points along with 15 rebounds and three blocks. He is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last four games he's played. Jaoquin Tagulao was another key contributor, scoring 19 points along with five assists and two steals.
Meanwhile, Hug's four-game losing streak came to an end on Friday. They walked away with a 69-57 win over South Tahoe.
Hug's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from David Koul, who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 20 rebounds. Koul is absolutely dominating the block category: he's posted at least two every time he's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Bol Makur, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 15 rebounds.
Sparks' defeat was their seventh straight on the road dating back to last season, which bumped their record down to 2-13. As for Hug, their victory bumped their record up to 6-9.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Sparks have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 22.8 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Hug, though, as they've been averaging only 37.2 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Sparks beat Hug 58-45 when the teams last played back in February of 2023. Will Sparks repeat their success, or does Hug have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
