Basketball Game Preview: Monarch Knights vs. West Broward Bobcats

The Monarch Knights will take on the West Broward Bobcats at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The timing is sure in Monarch's favor as the team sits on four straight wins at home while West Broward has been banged up by seven consecutive losses on the road dating back to last season.

Monarch is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They blew past Hollywood Hills, posting a 77-47 victory. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest win of the season.

Monarch's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Caleb Jean-Baptiste, who went 6 for 10 on his way to 17 points and six assists. Benjamin Boutin was another key player, putting up 13 points in addition to eight boards and three blocks.

Jean-Baptiste wasn't the only one working in the assists department: Monarch was working as a unit and finished the game with 21 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.

Meanwhile, West Broward played a tough contest on Thursday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They were dealt an 84-46 defeat at the hands of Stranahan. The Bobcats were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 49-21.

Monarch's win ended a five-game drought on the road and puts them at 5-8. As for West Broward, their loss dropped their record down to 3-10.

Monarch was able to grind out a solid victory over West Broward in their previous matchup back in January of 2024, winning 57-49. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was West Broward's Matthew Martinez, who posted 18 points and four steals. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Monarch still be able to contain Martinez? There's only one way to find out.