The North Salinas Vikings struggled with assists on Friday (the Monte Vista Christian Mustangs had 11 more) and sadly the final score reflected it. North Salinas received a tough blow as they fell 60-45 to Monte Vista Christian. While losing is never fun, North Salinas can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 1123rd, while Monte Vista Christian is ranked 544th).
North Salinas' defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jesse Mendez, who scored seven points. Another player making a difference was Angel Lizaola, who scored six points along with six rebounds.
It was another big night for Bryce Brogan, who scored 28 points for Monte Vista Christian. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Brogan has scored all season. Jack Ryan was another key contributor, dropping a double-double on ten points and 11 rebounds.
North Salinas' defeat dropped their record down to 5-9. As for Monte Vista Christian, the win was the fourth in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 11-3.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. North Salinas will take on Gonzales at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Gonzales knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past five matches -- so hopefully North Salinas likes a good challenge. As for Monte Vista Christian, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Rancho San Juan at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Rancho San Juan is coming into the match hot, having won their last four games.
