The Delta Panthers will face off against the Steamboat Springs Sailors at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Delta is coming into the game hot, having won their last five games.
Delta is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They claimed a resounding 68-38 win over Moffat County. The contest was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 42-15.
| 01/24/25 @ Moffat County | 5 |
| 02/23/24 vs University | 4 |
| 01/05/24 vs Centauri | 4 |
| 01/21/25 vs Basalt | 3 |
| 01/07/25 vs Palisade | 3 |
Delta had a senior duo take command as Taylor Somers dropped a double-double on 14 points and 21 boards and Breezy Huff dropped a double-double on 12 points and 12 rebounds. The dominant performance also gave Somers a new career-high in assists (five). Paige Kehmeier was another key player, putting up 12 points and seven steals.
Delta smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 28 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 16 offensive rebounds in eight consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Steamboat Springs came up short against Moffat County on Saturday and fell 43-30.
Delta will need focus on slowing down Hailey Bender, one of several Steamboat Springs players who made an impact when they last played. She posted eight points and 12 boards. Another player making a difference was Mahlet Vanblarcum, who scored ten points and four steals.
Delta is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last eight games, which provided a nice bump to their 10-6 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 51.9 points per game. As for Steamboat Springs, they have been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-11 record this season.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Delta has been crashing the rebounds this season, having averaged 34 boards per game. However, it's not like Steamboat Springs struggles in that department as they've been averaging 25.1 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Delta against Steamboat Springs in their previous meeting back in February of 2024, as the team secured a 55-16 victory. In that match, Delta amassed a halftime lead of 34-9, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
