Preview: Independence Patriots vs. Rocky River Ravens
Independence is 8-2 against Rocky River since January of 2019, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. The Independence Patriots will be playing in front of their home fans against the Rocky River Ravens at 7:30 p.m. Independence will be looking to keep their seven-game home win streak alive.
Independence proved they can win big on Tuesday (they won by 21) but on Friday they proved they can win the close ones too. They skirted past East Mecklenburg 57-54. Given Independence's advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 49th, while East Mecklenburg is ranked 161st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Independence's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Kaleb Jasper, who scored 11 points along with three steals. Jasper hasn't dropped below two steals for three straight games. Tosh Alberga was another key contributor, scoring 11 points along with seven rebounds.
Meanwhile, Rocky River came up short against Butler on Tuesday and fell 66-53. Rocky River has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Despite their loss, Rocky River saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Shamari Johnson, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and 12 rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. Johnson is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down nine or more in the last 13 games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Jayden Ross, who scored 17 points along with six rebounds and two steals.
Independence is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 17-5 record this season. As for Rocky River, their loss dropped their record down to 9-12.
Tuesday's contest is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Independence have been dynamite from deep this season, having made 41.5% of their threes per game. However, it's not like Rocky River struggles in that department as they've made 58.5% of their threes this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Independence was able to grind out a solid victory over Rocky River when the teams last played back in January, winning 64-55. Does Independence have another victory up their sleeve, or will Rocky River turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
