Basketball Game Preview: United Lions vs. Conemaugh Valley Blue Jays

The United Lions will square off against the Conemaugh Valley Blue Jays at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The timing is sure in United's favor as the squad sits on three straight wins at home while Conemaugh Valley has been banged up by three consecutive losses on the road.

Last Saturday, United came up short against Cambria Heights and fell 50-41.

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Lilly McGinnis, who went 7 of 13 en route to 25 points. McGinnis is also crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Olivia Henning was another key player, putting up eight points and eight boards.

Meanwhile, Conemaugh Valley played a tough contest on Thursday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They were outmatched by Cambria Heights and fell 74-35. The Blue Jays were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 41-12.

Like Conemaugh Valley, they lost despite seeing results from several players. Gwen Masser led the charge by dropping a double-double on ten points and ten rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Penelope Reininger, who posted nine points along with five boards and five steals.

Even though they lost, Conemaugh Valley smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in three consecutive matches.

Conemaugh Valley's defeat dropped their record down to 2-14. As for United, their loss dropped their record down to 9-8.

Everything came up roses for United against Conemaugh Valley in their previous meeting back in January of 2024, as the team secured a 49-20 victory. In that game, United amassed a halftime lead of 34-8, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Wednesday.