Manteca is 9-1 against Kimball since January of 2019, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Manteca Buffaloes will be playing in front of their home fans against the Kimball Jaguars at 7:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the pair will really light up the scoreboard.
Manteca posted their biggest victory since December 20, 2023 on Friday. They claimed a resounding 63-27 win over East Union on the road. Given Manteca's advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 258th, while East Union is ranked 993rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Manteca's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Elijah Nelson led the charge by scoring 11 points along with seven rebounds. Blake Glasgow was another key contributor, scoring ten points along with six rebounds.
Meanwhile, Kimball had to endure a three-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They took down Sierra 60-45 on Wednesday. The victory was just what Kimball needed coming off of a 68-41 loss in their prior matchup.
Kimball's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Osama Mirghani, who scored 15 points along with nine rebounds and two steals, and Madhav Asija, who scored 20 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Asija has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Dawson Pelech, who scored seven points along with seven rebounds.
Manteca's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 14-8. As for Kimball, the win got them back to even at 12-12.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Manteca have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 30.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Kimball struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30.3 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Manteca was able to grind out a solid victory over Kimball when the teams last played two weeks ago, winning 54-45. Does Manteca have another victory up their sleeve, or will Kimball turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
