Basketball Recap: Kelsey Sharpe's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Sickles over Booker

Sickles has been a dominant force so far, but they're in the middle of a mini-slump at the moment. They were two points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 67-65 heartbreaker at the hands of the Booker Tornadoes. While losing is never fun, the Gryphons can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 138th, while the Tornadoes are ranked 44th).

Kelsey Sharpe

Steals

01/20/25 @ Booker	10
01/18/25 @ North Tampa Christian Academy	3
01/17/25 @ Durant	11
01/15/25 vs Spoto	15
01/14/25 @ Leto	14

Sickles lost on Monday despite a true team effort on offense, the best among them being Kelsey Sharpe, who dropped a double-double on 27 points and ten steals. Sharpe has been hot for a while, having posted two or more steals the last 32 times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Jadyn Watts, who almost dropped a double-double on 24 points and nine boards.

Even though they lost, Sickles smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in seven consecutive games.

Yvette Brown continued her habit of posting crazy stat lines for Booker, going 13 of 18 en route to 26 points and seven rebounds. Alix Leinweber also deserves some recognition as she posted her first assist of the season.

Sickles' loss dropped their record down to 13-7. As for Booker, their victory ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 12-6.

Sickles has already played their next match, a 57-39 win against Wharton on the 21st. As for Booker, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next contest, a 73-45 victory against Charlotte on the 21st.