Preview: Rio Hondo Roadrunners at West Los Angeles Wildcats

LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — A stark contrast in trajectories will be on display Friday when the surging West Los Angeles Wildcats host the struggling Rio Hondo Roadrunners in a men’s junior college basketball game at the Wild West Shootout.

The Wildcats (7-1) enter with the momentum of a seven-game winning streak, their lone loss coming by four points at Moorpark on Nov. 14. They are coming off an 81-72 home victory over Barstow on Thursday, where Michael Baba provided a key contribution off the bench with six points and eight rebounds in just 12 minutes. Baba’s role as a productive reserve has been consistent during the streak.

Conversely, the Roadrunners (2-6) snapped a five-game skid with a dramatic 94-90 road win at Long Beach on Thursday. That victory was fueled by a career performance from sophomore guard Bobby Reyes, who exploded for 32 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Reyes is averaging 18.2 points over his last five games and will be the focal point for Rio Hondo’s offense.

Despite Rio Hondo’s recent upset, statistical models heavily favor the Wildcats. Interstat’s ELO system projects West Los Angeles with a 99.5% probability to win. The Roadrunners have struggled defensively, allowing 90 or more points in four of their losses.

West Los Angeles has shown balance and an ability to win close games, evidenced by an 88-87 road win at Palomar on Nov. 25. Rio Hondo will need another high-efficiency night from Reyes and support from starters like Matthew Rodriguez and Ryan Osborne, who combined for 28 points in Thursday’s win, to challenge the Wildcats’ dominance.

Friday’s non-conference matchup, organized by the California Community College Athletic Association, is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff. Following this event, West Los Angeles will host Saddleback on Dec. 12, while Rio Hondo prepares to host Grossmont on Dec. 10.