Round Valley and Valley are an even 5-5 against one another since December of 2022, but not for long. The Elks will square off against the Pirates at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Round Valley took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They blew past Northland Prep Academy, posting a 40-5 victory. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Elks' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Arizona basketball rankings (they are ranked 37th, while the Spartans are ranked 231st).
Carla Arreola
| 02/05/26 vs Northland Prep Academy | 6 |
| 01/27/26 @ Many Farms | 4 |
| 01/13/26 @ Morenci | 4 |
| 01/08/26 @ Horizon Honors | 4 |
| 01/26/26 vs Blue Ridge | 3 |
Round Valley's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Carla Arreola, who posted nine points and six steals. Those six steals gave Arreola a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Kelci Walker, who scored 15 points in addition to seven boards and four steals.
Round Valley smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 35 consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Valley had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 33.7 points) and they went ahead and made it four on Thursday. They blew past the Lobos, posting an 88-44 victory.
Round Valley's record now sits at 25-5. As for Valley, their record is now 17-9.
Round Valley beat Valley 55-46 in their previous meeting back in January. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was the Pirates' Trinity Mitchell, who earned 14 points along with eight rebounds and five steals. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will the Elks still be able to contain Mitchell? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
