The Alamo Heights Mules will head out on the road to square off against the MacArthur Brahmas at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Alamo Heights' favor is that they have posted big point totals in their last three contests.
Alamo Heights pushed their score all the way to 55 on Tuesday, but even that wasn't enough to win. They lost to Highlands on the road by a decisive 71-55 margin. The loss was a bit of a surprise, as Alamo Heights came into the game with a sizable advantage in MaxPreps' Texas basketball rankings (they are ranked 131st, while Highlands is ranked 835th).
Despite their defeat, Alamo Heights saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Hayes Waddy, who scored 16 points along with eight rebounds and three steals, was perhaps the best of all. Another player making a difference was Michael Terry, who scored 11 points.
Even though they lost, Alamo Heights smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 21 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, MacArthur scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Friday. They breezed by Lanier on the road to the tune of 92-55. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
Elias Aitmerim was his usual excellent self, going 7 for 9 from beyond the arc en route to 43 points and 3 assists. As a matter of fact, that's the most points he has scored all season. Ali Stewart was another key contributor, scoring 17 points along with two steals.
Alamo Heights' defeat ended a nine-game streak of away wins and brought them to 25-4. As for MacArthur, their win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 14-16.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Alamo Heights have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 31.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like MacArthur struggles in that department as they've been averaging 26.3 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything came up roses for Alamo Heights against MacArthur in their previous matchup back in January as the team secured a 60-31 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Alamo Heights since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
