Sierra Grande is 6-0 against Creede since February of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Sierra Grande Panthers will head out on the road to square off against the Creede Miners at 5:00 p.m. Hopefully Sierra Grande focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 17 on Tuesday.
Sierra Grande scored the most points they've had all season to find success. They claimed a resounding 54-8 win over Walsenburg on the road. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory Sierra Grande has posted yet this season.
Sierra Grande relied on the efforts of Jaylyn Quezada, who scored 17 points along with eight steals and five rebounds, and Alexia Gonzalez, who almost dropped a triple-double on 21 points, ten rebounds, and nine steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Gonzalez has scored all season. Naylani Velasquez was another key contributor, scoring six points along with eight rebounds and two steals.
Meanwhile, Creede put the finishing touches on their fourth blowout victory of the season on Saturday. They blew past Cripple Creek-Victor 71-38 on the road. The final score was a far cry from the score of their previous head-to-head, which saw the teams combine for 48 points.
Creede's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jasmin Laing, who dropped a double-double on 18 points and 12 rebounds. That's the first time this season that Laing pulled down eight or more rebounds. Another player making a difference was Lila Fairchild, who almost dropped a triple-double on 27 points, nine rebounds, and ten assists.
Sierra Grande's victory ended a eight-game drought on the road and puts them at 3-8. As for Creede, the win got them back to even at 6-6.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Sierra Grande have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 24.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Creede struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.7 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything went Sierra Grande's way against Creede in their previous matchup back in January of 2023 as Sierra Grande made off with a 44-23 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Sierra Grande since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
