Willapa Valley is 1-9 against Ilwaco since January of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Willapa Valley Vikings will be playing in front of their home fans against the Ilwaco Fishermen at 7:15 p.m. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this matchup.
Last Tuesday, Willapa Valley came up short against Pe Ell and fell 48-39.
Despite their loss, Willapa Valley saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Tylar Keeton, who scored 11 points along with nine rebounds and four steals, was perhaps the best of all. Keeton has been hot recently, having posted eight or more rebounds the last three times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Rilyn Channell, who scored eight points along with nine rebounds.
Meanwhile, Ilwaco lost to Forks on the road by a decisive 66-49 margin on Wednesday. Ilwaco has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Willapa Valley has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost six of their last eight contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 9-7 record this season. As for Ilwaco, their loss ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 7-6.
Willapa Valley suffered a grim 65-41 defeat to Ilwaco in their previous matchup back in December of 2022. Will Willapa Valley have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get analysis of the match and other basketball content.