Basketball Game Preview: Brunswick Blue Devils vs. Mentor Cardinals

Brunswick hasn't had much luck against Mentor recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Brunswick Blue Devils will head out on the road to take on the Mentor Cardinals at 7:30 p.m. Brunswick is coming into the match hot, having won their last ten games.

Last Friday, Brunswick sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 42-39 victory over Medina. Given the Blue Devils' advantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked ninth, while the Battling Bees are ranked 142nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Meanwhile, Mentor played a tough game on Tuesday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They lost 83-57 to Lutheran East.

Despite the loss, Mentor saw an underclassman step up: freshman Jack Kennedy went 9-for-16 to rack up 21 points in addition to five rebounds and three steals. Kennedy also posted a block, marking his first of the season. Dominic Baroni was another key player, putting up four points along with six boards and six blocks.

Even though they lost, Mentor smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 44 consecutive contests dating back to last season.

Brunswick's win was their 18th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 16-3. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 72.2 points over those games. As for Mentor, their defeat dropped their record down to 12-6.

Everything went Brunswick's way against Mentor when the teams last played back in January, as Brunswick made off with an 85-65 victory. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Kennedy, who went 8-for-13 en route to 21 points in addition to five assists and three steals. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Brunswick still be able to contain Kennedy? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.