This season hasn't been kind to the Columbine Rebels, who are still winless after their 13th game. They had to suffer through a rough 90-62 loss at the hands of Ralston Valley. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Columbine in their matchups with Ralston Valley: they've now lost four in a row.
Despite the loss, Columbine saw an underclassman step up: Cash Boykin scored 16 points along with five assists and five rebounds. Brayden Metzger was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with five rebounds.
Ralston Valley found their leader in underclassman Caiden Braketa, who shot 5-for-7 from downtown and dropped a double-double on 23 points and ten assists. That's the first time this season that Braketa posted eight or more assists. The team also got some help courtesy of Jackson Hansen, who scored 13 points along with nine assists and four steals.
Columbine's loss was their seventh straight at home, which bumped their record down to 0-13. Those losses can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 60.6 points per game. As for Ralston Valley, they are on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last nine matches, which provided a nice bump to their 9-4 record this season.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Columbine will take on Chatfield at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Chatfield has now lost seven straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since December 14. As for Ralston Valley, they will be playing at home against Legend at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Legend knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with flashy point totals in its past three matchups -- so hopefully Ralston Valley likes a good challenge.
