Basketball Recap: Clay Comes Up Short

Clay extended their losing streak to ten on Friday, dropping them down to 5-16. They were two points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 39-37 heartbreaker at the hands of the Ridgeview Panthers. The Blue Devils were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Panthers apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in December of 2024.

As for Ridgeview, they moved to 9-12 with that win, which also ended their three-game losing streak. The game was the first time they have beaten Clay on their court since December 11, 2020.

Leading Ridgeview to victory were Aaron Carr and Gavin Stechschulte. Carr posted 12 points and eight rebounds, while Stechschulte scored ten points and seven boards. Those eight boards gave Carr a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Xzavier Middleton, who put up seven points.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Clay will square off against KIPP Bold City at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Blue Devils will be up against the Greyhounds' rather soft defense (which has allowed 59.94 points per contest), so fans could be in store for a big offensive performance. As for Ridgeview, they will face off against Matanzas at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. That matchup will pit two of the most dominant guards against one another: Justyn Cappas and Jayden McCoy.