Basketball Game Preview: J.L. Mann Patriots vs. Mauldin Mavericks

J.L. Mann and Mauldin are an even 5-5 against one another since December of 2019, but not for long. The J.L. Mann Patriots will head out on the road to challenge the Mauldin Mavericks at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as J.L. Mann comes in on three and Mauldin on six.

Last Tuesday, J.L. Mann humbled Hillcrest with a 67-28 victory. The Patriots have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven matchups by 27 points or more this season.

J.L. Mann's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Jade Hailstock, who went 8 for 15 on her way to 19 points and six rebounds, and Olivia McKinney, who went 7 of 17 en route to 17 points and seven steals. McKinney is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last eight games she's played. Imari Richardson was another key player, putting up eight points along with five boards and five steals.

Meanwhile, Mauldin didn't have too much trouble with Woodmont on Wednesday as they won 41-24. Given the Mavericks' advantage in MaxPreps' South Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 19th, while the Wildcats are ranked 87th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Mauldin has also been performing well recently as they've won ten of their last 12 contests, which provided a nice bump to their 14-3 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 51.8 points per game. As for J.L. Mann, their win bumped their record up to 12-6.

J.L. Mann came up short against Mauldin when the teams last played back in February of 2024, falling 55-42. Can J.L. Mann avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.