After five games on the road, Durango is heading back home. They will be home for the holidays to greet the Piedra Vista Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Saturday, Durango blew past Cheyenne Mountain, posting a 34-6 victory on the road. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest victory Durango has managed all season.
Mariah Maestas was the offensive standout of the game as she scored 12 points along with five rebounds and three steals. Lilly Fitzpatrick was another key contributor, scoring six points along with five steals.
Meanwhile, Piedra Vista scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Friday. They came out on top against Miyamura by a score of 48-36. Given Piedra Vista's advantage in MaxPreps' New Mexico basketball rankings (they are ranked 28th, while Miyamura is ranked 93rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Piedra Vista's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Jaime Pierce, who scored nine points along with eight steals. Pierce continues to roll, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Tyra Holyan, who scored 16 points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Durango now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Piedra Vista, their victory ended a nine-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 4-3.
Tuesday's contest is shaping up to be a scrappy matchup: Durango have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 25 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Piedra Vista struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 29.3 rebounds per game. Given Durango's sizeable advantage in that area, Piedra Vista will need to find a way to close that gap.
Everything came up roses for Durango against Piedra Vista when the teams last played back in December of 2022 as the squad secured a 46-19 victory. Does Durango have another victory up their sleeve, or will Piedra Vista turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
