The De Anza Dons's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Tuesday after their ninth straight loss. They fell just short of Pinole Valley by a score of 69-67. De Anza has not had much luck with the Spartans recently, as the team's come up short the last three times they've met.
De Anza's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Malakai Wise, who scored 18 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Wise has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Ahmari Otis, who scored 16 points.
Leading Pinole Valley to victory were Romyn Waugh and Chriseanie Nealy. Waugh dropped a double-double on 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Nealy scored 31 points along with six rebounds and four steals. Nnamdi Osajindu was another key contributor, scoring four points.
De Anza dropped their record down to 6-16 with that loss, which was their fifth straight on the road. As for Pinole Valley, their victory bumped their record up to 11-14.
De Anza is on the road again on Friday and plays the Pride at 7:00 p.m. on February 2nd. Salesian College Preparatory knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past 22 matches -- so hopefully the Dons like a good challenge. As for Pinole Valley, they will look to defend their home court on Friday against the Panthers at 7:00 p.m.
