Memorial is 0-10 against Champion since January of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Memorial Red Devils will head out on the road to square off against the Champion Golden Flashes at 6:15 p.m. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Memorial has struggled recently with five losses in a row, while Champion will arrive with seven straight wins.
Last Monday, things could have been worse for Memorial, but they could have been a whole lot better as they took a 64-45 loss to Garfield. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Memorial in their matchups with Garfield: they've now lost seven in a row.
Despite their loss, Memorial saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Angeliz Diaz, who scored seven points along with 12 rebounds and six assists, was perhaps the best of all. Diaz has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last ten times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Diamon Sims, who dropped a double-double on 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Even though they lost, Memorial were working as a unit and finished the game with 11 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Champion didn't have too much breathing room in their game against LaBrae on Monday, but they still walked away with a 52-47 win.
Champion's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Addie Warzala, who scored seven points along with seven steals and six rebounds. Another player making a difference was Kayla Haynie, who scored 16 points.
Memorial dropped their record down to 2-13 with that defeat, which was their fifth straight on the road. As for Champion, their victory bumped their record up to 13-4.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Memorial have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 27.5 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Champion struggles in that department as they've been averaging 27.4 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Memorial was dealt a bruising 54-20 defeat at the hands of Champion in their previous matchup back in December of 2023. Can Memorial avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
