The Cherry Creek Bruins will be home for the holidays to greet the Monarch Coyotes at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Cherry Creek knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past four games -- so hopefully Monarch likes a good challenge.
Cherry Creek has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three games by 20 points or more this season. They were the clear victor by a 62-42 margin over Windsor. Given Cherry Creek's advantage in MaxPreps' Colorado basketball rankings (they are ranked third, while Windsor is ranked 91st), the result on Tuesday wasn't entirely unexpected.
Cherry Creek got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was A'neya Chambers out in front who scored 12 points along with six rebounds and three steals. Chambers also posted two blocks for the first time this season. Addy Beck was another key contributor, scoring eight points along with six steals.
Meanwhile, Monarch's 26-2 record from last season is now well into the rear view mirror after another tough outing. They took a 62-46 bruising from Ralston Valley on Thursday. Monarch found out winning isn't easy when you're outrebounded 15 to 4 on offense.
Despite the defeat, Monarch saw an underclassman step up: Sienna Williams dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten rebounds. Another player making a difference was Lindsay Pleva, who scored nine points along with five assists and five rebounds.
Monarch struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only four offensive rebounds. That's the fewest offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Cherry Creek pushed their record up to 5-1 with that win, which was their third straight at home. They've been dominating during the contests in that stretch too, as they've won by an average of 26 points. As for Monarch, their loss dropped their record down to 2-4.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Cherry Creek have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 18 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Monarch, though, as they've been averaging only 29 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Cherry Creek came up short against Monarch in their previous matchup back in December of 2022, falling 47-37. Thankfully for Cherry Creek, Natalie Guanella (who scored 19 points along with three steals) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
