The Clovis Wildcats were the 45-43 winner over the Palo Duro Dons when they last played one another back in January of 2023, but their luck changed this time around. Clovis took a 53-45 hit to the loss column at the hands of Palo Duro on Saturday. The loss was a bit of a surprise, as Clovis came into the match with a sizable advantage in MaxPreps's basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked sixth in New Mexico, while Palo Duro is ranked 161st in Texas).
Clovis' defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Amanda De La Rosa, who scored 16 points. That's the first time this season that De La Rosa scored 15 or more points. The team also got some help courtesy of Zarai Lewis, who scored 16 points along with five rebounds.
Clovis' loss dropped their record down to 10-3. As for Palo Duro, their win bumped their record up to 12-6.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Clovis will square off against Lovington at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Palo Duro, they will head out on the road to face off against Amarillo at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Amarillo will be looking to keep their six-game home win streak alive.
