The Newcomb Skyhawks's game on Friday was a tough loss, but they didn't let that memory haunt them on Saturday. They slipped by Cuba 60-59. Having run the score up that high, both teams probably have some extra defensive drills coming up.
Newcomb found their leader in underclassman Lethia Yazzie, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten steals. Yazzie hasn't dropped below two steals for seven straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of Winona Nelson, who scored nine points along with seven rebounds.
When it comes to explaining why Cuba lost, one person who can't be blamed is Maliyah Herrera. Despite the final result, she scored 20 points along with five rebounds and three steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Herrera has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Liliana Maestas, who scored 11 points along with three steals.
Even though they lost, Cuba were working as a unit and finished the game with 17 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Newcomb only posted nine assists.
Newcomb's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-6. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.0 points per game. As for Cuba, they have been struggling recently, as they've lost four of their last five matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-11 record this season.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Newcomb will square off against Thoreau at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in New Mexico (Thoreau is ranked 88th, while Newcomb is ranked 91st). As for Cuba, Cuba and Rehoboth Christian will face off at 5:30 p.m. on January 16th without much rest after finishing up games yesterday.
