Basketball Game Preview: Ramona Rams vs. Liberty Bison

The Ramona Rams will challenge the Liberty Bison at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.

Liberty is hoping to do what Nogales couldn't on Monday: put an end to Ramona's winning streak, which now stands at four games. Ramona really took it to Nogales for the full four quarters, racking up a 43-8 victory. The Rams have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five matches by 20 points or more this season.

Ramona got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Jaiden Tibbels out in front who dropped a double-double on 19 points and ten steals. The contest was Tibbels' third in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Diana Najera, who almost dropped a double-double on nine points and 11 steals.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Liberty). They were the clear victor by a 53-32 margin over Rim of the World last Tuesday. The team's explosion on offense also rewarded the Bison with their most commanding win of the season.

Liberty's win came from a few key players Ramona will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Malaya Baker, who posted eight points and five rebounds. Another player making a difference was Kelli Harris-Wellman, who had eight points and four steals.

Ramona's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-1. Those victories came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 19.8 points per game. As for Liberty, they now have a winning record of 3-2.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Ramona has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 40.7 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Liberty struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.5 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other basketball content.