If the Chico Panthers were feeling good off their 67-41 takedown of the Red Bluff Spartans last Thursday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. Chico fell just short of Foothill by a score of 60-57. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
Despite the loss, Chico still got an impressive performance from Magnus Nielsen, who scored 19 points. Johnny Padilla was another key contributor, scoring seven points.
Even though they lost, Chico smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Foothill only pulled down four offensive rebounds.
Foothill got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Tyler Zanhiser out in front who dropped a double-double on 19 points and 14 rebounds. Another player making a difference was Jose Cruz, who scored 15 points along with five assists.
Chico's defeat dropped their record down to 12-8. As for Foothill, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 12-8.
Chico will take on Pleasant Valley at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Pleasant Valley presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Chico in California (Pleasant Valley is ranked 160th, while Chico is ranked 332nd). As for Foothill, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Red Bluff at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Red Bluff is coming into the matchup on a four-game losing streak.
