Preview: Monroe Central Golden Bears vs. Lapel Bulldogs
Two dominant players in Kimber Abshear and Laniah Wills are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Monroe Central Golden Bears will be playing at home against the Lapel Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Monroe Central comes in on five and Lapel on seven.
Last Monday, Monroe Central beat South Adams 47-36. Given Monroe Central's advantage in MaxPreps' Indiana basketball rankings (they are ranked 100th, while South Adams is ranked 260th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Abshear was her usual excellent self, almost dropping a triple-double on 14 points, 13 rebounds, and nine blocks. Those 13 rebounds set a new season-high mark for she. Another player making a difference was Sydney Patterson, who scored 19 points along with four steals.
Meanwhile, Lapel scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Saturday. They really took it to Tipton for the full four quarters, racking up a 72-13 win on the road. Lapel might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team's won six matches by 20 points or more this season.
Lapel found their leader in underclassman Wills, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten rebounds. The contest was Wills' 11th in a row with at least ten points. Madelyn Poynter was another key contributor, scoring 13 points along with six assists.
Monroe Central's win was their fifth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 9-2. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 51.4 points per game. As for Lapel, their win bumped their record up to 10-1.
Thursday's game is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Monroe Central have been dynamite from deep this season, having made 41.3% of their threes per game. However, it's not like Lapel struggles in that department as they've drained 44.5% of their threes per game this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Monroe Central came up short against Lapel when the teams last played back in December of 2022, falling 48-41. Will Monroe Central have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get analysis of the match and other basketball content.
