Sierra Preview

Sierra comes into our green and golden valley with a 9 and 3 record and a 5 game winning streak. This is the back end of a home and home arrangement that sent Shafter to the mountains last year, returning with an 8-point loss hung around their necks. It was the fourth meeting in a series dating back to the 1987-88 season and it was a game of extremes. Sierra sat back in a zone, using their size to try to force shots from outside. Shafter obliged, heaving up 41 three pointers, easily the most since I have been paying attention and perhaps the most in Shafter High history. Only 7 of those shots connected, leaving the Shafter faithful wondering how a few bounces might have changed the outcome. I wonder if this year's seemingly more selective and accurate version of Adrian Trujillo le bombardier might have made more than the 3 of 13 of last year's model. Perhaps we will find out tonight. The other unusual fact about the game was the lopsided distribution of free throws. Shafter shot 10 times from the charity stripe compared to 49 attempts for the home team.

This year the Chieftains have one common opponent with the Generals. Both teams lost close games to Sunnyside. Sierra is led by four year varsity player Brandon Bill, a 5'9" guard who wears number 13. They are not quite as big as last year, so we may see them defend differently.