The Canyon Cowboys will challenge the Verdugo Hills Dons at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Canyon is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 54.5 points per game this season.
Last Friday, Canyon was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 58-52 to Saugus. The Cowboys have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Despite the loss, Canyon saw an underclassman step up: freshman Darby Dunn dropped a double-double on 15 points and ten boards. The team also got some help courtesy of Shannen Wilson, who went 7 of 15 en route to 16 points and five rebounds.
Even though they lost, Canyon smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in four consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Verdugo Hills posted their biggest victory since November 15, 2024 on Friday. They claimed a resounding 68-28 win over Chavez. Given the Dons' advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 242nd, while the Eagles are ranked 655th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Verdugo Hills' win came from a few key players Canyon will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Rayleen Castanos, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 11 boards. She is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last seven games she's played. Nicole Olivera was another key player, going 6 for 10 on her way to 13 points.
The victory was the third in a row for Verdugo Hills, bringing their record for this year to 12-4. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 58.3 points per game. As for Canyon, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-12.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Canyon has been crashing the rebounds this season, having averaged 30.7 boards per game. However, it's not like Verdugo Hills struggles in that department as they've been averaging 34 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Canyon took their win against Verdugo Hills in their previous meeting back in December of 2021 by a conclusive 64-44. Will Canyon repeat their success, or does Verdugo Hills have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
