Preview: Hernando Leopards vs. Springstead Eagles
Hernando is 1-9 against Springstead since December of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Hernando Leopards will be home for the holidays to greet the Springstead Eagles at 7:30 p.m. Hernando has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last four games.
Hernando scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Tuesday. They claimed a resounding 63-32 victory over Crystal River at home.
It was another big night for Josiah Wright , who scored 20 points along with three steals. Those 20 points set a new season-high mark for him. Another player making a difference was Joseph Rivera, who scored 15 points along with four steals.
Meanwhile, it was a hard-fought game, but Springstead had to settle for a 44-41 loss against Lecanto on Tuesday. While losing is never fun, Springstead can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 282nd, while Lecanto is ranked 136th).
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Niko Cordello, who scored 11 points. Austin Nicholson was another key contributor, scoring six points along with seven assists and five rebounds.
Hernando's win bumped their record up to 4-5. As for Springstead, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-4.
Friday's contest is shaping up to be a scrappy matchup: Hernando have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 30.6 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Springstead, though, as they've been averaging only 32 rebounds per game. Given Hernando's sizeable advantage in that area, Springstead will need to find a way to close that gap.
Hernando skirted past Springstead 48-45 when the teams last played back in January. Will Hernando repeat their success, or does Springstead have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
