If the Hillcrest Jaguars were riding high off their 51-27 takedown of the W.S. Neal Eagles last Tuesday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. Hillcrest lost to Straughn at home by a decisive 36-21 margin on Thursday. Hillcrest has struggled against Straughn recently, as their game on Thursday was their fifth consecutive lost matchup.
Hillcrest's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Ashlyn Kiser, who scored eight points along with ten rebounds and four steals. Kiser has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last three times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Sonija Evans, who scored a point along with six steals and five rebounds.
Even though they lost, Hillcrest smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 27 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Hillcrest has not been sharp recently, as they've lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-10 record this season. As for Straughn, the victory was the fourth in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 13-6.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Hillcrest will play host again and welcome Shields, where tip off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Alabama (Shields is ranked 295th, while Hillcrest is ranked 313th). Straughn won't have much time to rest: their next match is against Georgiana at 5:30 p.m. on January 12th. One thing working in Georgiana's favor is that they have posted big point totals in their last three matches.
