Basketball Game Preview: Morgan Park Mustangs vs. Kenwood Broncos

Morgan Park hasn't had much luck against Kenwood recently, but that could start to change on Friday. It'll be an old-fashioned rodeo when the Morgan Park Mustangs face off against the Kenwood Broncos at 5:00 p.m.

Morgan Park is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Phillips on Wednesday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Morgan Park was beaten by Phillips 80-27. While losing is never fun, the Mustangs can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 314th, while the Wildcats are ranked 53rd).

Meanwhile, Kenwood entered their tilt with Jones on Wednesday with 12 consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with 13. They took their contest with ease, bagging a 78-23 win over the Eagles. The Broncos have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 13 matchups by 21 points or more this season.

Morgan Park better keep an eye on Icesis Thomas. She was instrumental in Kenwood's win, dropping a double-double on 17 points and 11 steals. Thomas continues to improve, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was London Walker George, who went 5 for 12 on her way to 16 points.

Kenwood smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 26 consecutive games dating back to last season.

Morgan Park now has a losing record at 4-5. As for Kenwood, they pushed their record up to 17-1 with the victory, which was their 14th straight on the road dating back to last season.

Morgan Park took a serious blow against Kenwood in their previous matchup back in December of 2023, falling 67-37. That contest was all but decided by halftime, at which point Morgan Park was down 48-22.