Eastlake is 2-8 against the Crusaders since February of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Eastlake Titans will be playing in front of their home fans against the Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders at 6:30 p.m. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.
Last Friday, Eastlake had to suffer through a rough 69-34 loss at the hands of the Barons. Eastlake was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 39-11.
Despite the loss, Eastlake had strong showings from Catrice Chan, who scored 11 points along with five rebounds and four steals, and Helen Rosales, who scored eight points along with eight rebounds and two steals.
Meanwhile, Mater Dei Catholic's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Saturday after their third straight defeat. They were dealt a 69-40 defeat at the hands of Cathedral Catholic. While losing is never fun, Mater Dei Catholic can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 448th, while the Dons are ranked 219th).
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Promise Martin, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten rebounds. She is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed three or more in the last five games she's played. Another player making a difference was Awen Carrillo, who scored eight points along with two steals.
Eastlake has been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 13-13 record this season. As for Mater Dei Catholic, their loss was their third straight at home, which dropped their record down to 9-14.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Eastlake have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 37.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Mater Dei Catholic struggles in that department as they've been averaging 33.2 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Eastlake couldn't quite finish off the Crusaders when the teams last played last Friday and fell 45-43. Will Eastlake have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.
