Two dominant guards in Laila Lwaba and Jayla Lewis are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Western Warriors will be playing at home against the Somerset Academy Losee Lions at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Western will bounce into Tuesday's game after beating Sierra Vista, who they had gone 2-7 against in their nine prior meetings. Western walked away with a 45-37 victory over Sierra Vista last Friday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Warriors.
Laila Lwaba
| 01/31/25 @ Sierra Vista | 3 |
| 01/29/25 @ Silverado | 7 |
| 01/28/25 vs Cimarron-Memorial | 3 |
| 01/24/25 vs Green Valley | 6 |
| 01/23/25 vs Rancho | 4 |
| + 6 more games |
Western found their leader in sophomore Lwaba, who went 7 of 12 en route to 18 points along with five rebounds and three steals. Lwaba has been hot for a while, having posted three or more steals the last 11 times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Kyra Pace, who went 5 for 7 to rack up 12 points.
Western was working as a unit and finished the game with 12 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Sierra Vista only posted three assists.
Meanwhile, two teams were on the hunt for playoff glory, but only Somerset Academy Losee walked away with it. They came out on top against the Dragons by a score of 54-45 on Friday. Winning may never get old, but the Lions sure are getting used to it with their ninth in a row.
Western better keep an eye on Lewis. She was instrumental in Somerset Academy Losee's win, almost dropping a triple-double on 22 points, nine assists, and ten steals. Amijah Nelson was another key player, putting up eight points and five steals.
Somerset Academy Losee's win was their 17th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 19-5. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 37.6 points. As for Western, their victory bumped their record up to 15-7.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Western has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 33.3 boards per game. However, it's not like Somerset Academy Losee struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.4 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Western was dealt a bruising 41-12 loss at the hands of Somerset Academy Losee when the teams last played back in February of 2020. Thankfully for Western, Mikayla Williams (who went 7 of 17 on her way to 15 points in addition to eight steals and five assists) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
