The Vista del Lago Ravens's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their fifth straight loss. They took a 84-65 bruising from Moreno Valley. Despite running the score up even higher than they did in their last game last Wednesday (58), Vista del Lago still had to take the loss.
Vista del Lago's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was T'jai Lyon English, who scored 23 points. That's the first time this season that Lyon English scored 15 or more points. Another player making a difference was Freddy Alarcon, who scored 15 points along with three steals.
Even though they lost, Vista del Lago smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Moreno Valley only pulled down eight offensive rebounds.
Jamall Thompson was his usual excellent self, scoring 31 points along with seven rebounds and four steals for Moreno Valley. That makes it three consecutive games in which Thompson has scored at least a third of Moreno Valley's points. Thomas Palm was another key contributor, scoring 11 points along with five assists and five rebounds.
Vista del Lago has not been sharp recently, as they've lost six of their last seven contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-10 record this season. As for Moreno Valley, the win got them back to even at 11-11.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Vista del Lago will take on Heritage at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Heritage knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past four contests -- so hopefully Vista del Lago likes a good challenge. As for Moreno Valley, they will play host again and welcome Temescal Canyon, where tip off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Temescal Canyon is looking to tack on another W to their five-game streak on the road.
