The Lakewood Tigers will take on the Columbine Rebels at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Lakewood is coming into the game on a five-game losing streak.
Lakewood is headed into the matchup out to prove that what happened against Valor Christian on Thursday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Lakewood took a blow against Valor Christian, falling 91-36. The Tigers were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 63-10.
Despite their loss, Lakewood saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Aaliyah Perea, who posted seven points, was perhaps the best of all. Another player making a difference was Iben Last, who had ten points and five boards.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Columbine, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Saturday. They secured a 51-47 W over Ralston Valley on Thursday. The win continues a trend for the Rebels in their matchups with the Mustangs: they've now won three in a row.
Columbine's win came from a few key players Lakewood will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Taylor Speir, who went 8-for-12 to rack up 21 points and six rebounds. Her evening made it three games in a row in which she has scored at least 15 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jordyn Washington, who went 7-for-16 on her way to 20 points.
Columbine's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-6. Those victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 68.3 points over those games. As for Lakewood, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-16.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Lakewood has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 23.2 boards per game. However, it's not like Columbine struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.2 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Lakewood was taken down by Columbine 70-42 when the teams last played back in January. Will Lakewood have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.
