Southwest has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will face off against the Medicine Valley Raiders at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Southwest scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Tuesday. They blew past Cheylin, posting a 62-33 victory at home. Southwest has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six games by 22 points or more this season.
Southwest's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Allison Vanpelt, who scored ten points along with two steals. Vanpelt is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last three games she's played. Kyra Nelms was another key contributor, scoring 11 points along with seven rebounds and two blocks.
Medicine Valley posted their biggest victory yet this season on Thursday. They claimed a resounding 63-18 win over Hi-Line [Eustis-Farnam/Elwood] on the road. The contest was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 42-6.
Medicine Valley got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Stella Heapy out in front who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 11 assists. That's the first time this season that Heapy posted eight or more assists. Another player making a difference was Remmi Stout, who scored 12 points along with eight steals and six rebounds.
Southwest pushed their record up to 10-5 with that win, which was their fourth straight at home. As for Medicine Valley, their win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 6-7.
Keep an eye on the arc in Saturday's match: Southwest have been dynamite from deep this season, having made 38.8% of their threes per game. It's a different story for Medicine Valley, though, as they've only made 29.5% of their threes per game this season. Given Southwest's sizeable advantage in that area, Medicine Valley will need to find a way to close that gap.
Southwest took their victory against Medicine Valley in their previous meeting back in November of 2023 by a conclusive 51-28. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Heapy, who scored eight points along with seven rebounds and five assists. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Southwest still be able to contain him? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
