Vista Murrieta and the Pumas are an even 5-5 against one another since January of 2020, but not for long. The Vista Murrieta Broncos will head out on the road to square off against the Chaparral Pumas at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Vista Murrieta's favor is that they have posted big point totals in their last nine matches.
Last Tuesday, everything came up roses for Vista Murrieta on the road against the Rams as the squad secured a 79-52 win. Given Vista Murrieta's advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 41st, while the Rams are ranked 369th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Vista Murrieta got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Brody Guinn out in front who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 15 rebounds. Another player making a difference was Cisco Munoz, who scored 20 points along with five assists and two steals.
Meanwhile, Chaparral came into Tuesday's contest having lost 11 straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They walked away with a 76-64 win over Murrieta Valley on Tuesday. Chaparral's offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Chaparral's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from JoJo Bartlett, who scored 24 points along with six assists. Bartlett is trending in the right direction, as he's improved his point production for three games straight. Cooper Creamer was another key contributor, almost dropping a double-double on 17 points and nine rebounds.
Vista Murrieta's victory bumped their record up to 23-4. As for Chaparral, their win ended a five-game drought on the road and puts them at 7-18.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Vista Murrieta have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 30 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Chaparral struggles in that department as they've been averaging 32.6 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Vista Murrieta was able to grind out a solid win over the Pumas in their previous matchup back in January, winning 55-42. The rematch might be a little tougher for Vista Murrieta since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
