The Santa Monica Vikings will take on the Centennial Apaches at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday. Centennial took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Santa Monica, who comes in off a win.
Last Monday, Santa Monica was fully in charge, breezing past Hawthorne 50-2. That looming 50-2 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Vikings yet this season.
Meanwhile, it's never fun to lose, and it's even less fun to lose 70-42, which was the final score in Centennial's tilt against Lawndale on Monday. While losing is never fun, the Apaches can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 888th, while the Cardinals are ranked 281st).
Defeat or not, Centennial got some senior leadership from Erin Jackson and Aurbrianna Flowers. Jackson dropped a triple-double on 16 points, 20 boards, and ten blocks, while Flowers went 8 of 13 en route to 21 points in addition to six rebounds and five assists. That was a full 38.1% of Centennial's points, marking the tenth time in a row she's posted more than a third of the team's points. Patience Taylor was another key player, putting up three points and ten rebounds.
Even though they lost, Centennial smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 21 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 18 offensive rebounds in six consecutive matchups.
Centennial has traveled a rocky road recently having lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-14 record this season. As for Santa Monica, their victory bumped their record up to 9-13.
Everything came up roses for Santa Monica against Centennial when the teams last played back in December of 2024, as the squad secured a 54-22 win. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Jackson, who dropped a triple-double on 12 points, 19 boards, and ten blocks. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Santa Monica still be able to contain Jackson? There's only one way to find out.
