The Union Mine Diamondbacks had already won seven in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 24.7 points), and they went ahead and made it eight on Tuesday. They snuck past El Dorado with a 87-81 win. Given Union Mine's advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 198th, while the Cougars are ranked 679th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Union Mine's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Nate Sweet, who scored 36 points along with two steals. Sweet hasn't dropped below 22 points for five straight games. Another player making a difference was Ethan Gines, who dropped a double-double on 21 points and ten assists.
El Dorado's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jeremy Kimber, who dropped a double-double on 20 points and 14 rebounds. Kimber is on a roll when it comes to points, as he's now scored 15 or more in the last four games he's played. Jayden Ferreira was another key contributor, scoring 32 points along with six rebounds and five assists.
Union Mine pushed their record up to 24-2 with that victory, which was their 19th straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 79.8 points per game. As for El Dorado, their loss dropped their record down to 13-13.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Union Mine has the luxury of staying home another game and will welcome the The Pride at 7:00 p.m. on February 2nd. Bradshaw Christian is strutting with some offensive muscle, as they've averaged 60.8 points per game this season. As for El Dorado, they will look to defend their home court on Friday against the Hawks at 7:00 p.m.
