AGUASCALIENTES (Interstat) — Soles will be the visiting team Thursday at Hermanos Carreon in Aguascalientes, Mexico, against Aguascalientes, whose team nickname is Panteras. Soles enters with a 22-7 season record, while Aguascalientes is 16-19. The teams have met frequently in recent weeks, and Soles has won three of the last four meetings. Soles took the most recent matchup 87-75 at Aguascalientes. Aguascalientes won the prior meeting 87-84 at home, and Soles answered with home wins of 83-65 and 80-76 in the two meetings before that. The last four meetings have been decided by margins of 12, 3, 18 and 4 points. In the most recent game, Erik Thomas had 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists for Soles. Johsua Webster added 10 points and seven assists, and Joe Thomasson scored 10 points with five assists.

Thomas is the player to watch for Soles. He had 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the most recent game at Panteras. In the previous meeting, he finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Thomas also had 12 points, four rebounds and two assists in a home win against Panteras, and he contributed nine points and seven rebounds in another home win against Panteras. Against Abejas, he had eight points, four rebounds, three assists and one block. Soles also has home wins against Gambusinos, 71-57 and 69-62, and overtime road losses at Fuerza Regia, 89-95 and 91-94.

Augusto Lima is the player to watch for Aguascalientes. In the most recent meeting, Lima had 11 points, six rebounds, one assist and two blocks. He had five points and 12 rebounds in the previous game against Soles, and he posted nine points and 11 rebounds in another recent meeting with Soles. Lima also had 12 points and seven rebounds at Lobos Plateados, and he finished with eight points, six rebounds and one assist in a home win against Lobos Plateados. Lima also had seven points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks at Lobos Plateados. Tyler Cheese and Gabriel Giron each scored seven points in the most recent meeting for Aguascalientes. Cheese added four rebounds and three assists, and Giron added two rebounds and three assists.

Aguascalientes has lost three of its last four games. The Panteras also beat Fuerza Regia 90-85 and lost to Fuerza Regia 75-82 in other recent home games. Aguascalientes also split two games at Diablos Rojos, winning 91-80 and losing 88-91. Soles has won three of the last four meetings. The game is scheduled for Thursday at Hermanos Carreon.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Soles 89, Aguascalientes 87.