Highlands is 9-0 against Encina Prep since January of 2015, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Monday. The Highlands Scots will take on the Encina Prep Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the pair will really light up the scoreboard.
Last Tuesday, Highlands strolled past Vacaville Christian with points to spare, taking the game 60-45. The victory was just what Highlands needed coming off of a 70-45 defeat in their prior matchup.
Meanwhile, Encina Prep scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Friday. They claimed a resounding 106-31 win over Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning at home. Encina Prep has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won nine matches by 20 points or more this season.
Sergio De La Cruz continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, shooting 7-for-11 from long range and almost dropping a double-double on 33 points and nine assists. It was the first time this season that he posted eight or more assists. Another player making a difference was Adrian Grace, who went 6 for 10 from beyond the arc en route to 28 points and 3 assists.
Highlands pushed their record up to 10-12 with that victory, which was their third straight at home. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 66.3 points per game. As for Encina Prep, they are on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven contests, which provided a nice bump to their 16-6 record this season.
Everything went Highlands' way against Encina Prep when the teams last played back in February of 2018 as Highlands made off with a 81-55 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Highlands since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
