Basketball Game Preview: Mount Academy Eagles vs. Ellenville Blue Devils

Mount Academy is 0-5 against Ellenville since February of 2022 but things could change on Thursday. The Mount Academy Eagles will head out to take on the Ellenville Blue Devils at 5:45 p.m. Mount Academy knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past five matches -- so hopefully Ellenville likes a good challenge.

On Tuesday, Mount Academy earned a 64-53 victory over Chester. The Eagles pushed the score to 56-34 by the end of the third, a deficit the Hambletonians cut but never quite recovered from.

Jake Maendel

Points

02/11/25 vs Chester	23
02/10/25 vs Highland	24
02/04/25 @ Webutuck	30
01/30/25 vs Pine Plains	16
01/28/25 @ Millbrook	20

Mount Academy got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Jake Maendel out in front who went 9 of 18 on his way to 23 points along with six boards and three steals. The game was Maendel's fifth in a row with at least 16 points. Another player making a difference was Dennis Hofer, who almost dropped a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds.

Mount Academy smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 12 offensive boards in seven consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Ellenville waltzed into their match on Tuesday with eight straight wins... but they left with nine. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Warriors 66-35. The Blue Devils have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven games by 22 points or more this season.

Ellenville's victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-4. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 64.4 points over those games. As for Mount Academy, their record is now 14-2.

Mount Academy might still be hurting after the 77-54 loss they got from Ellenville in their previous matchup back in February of 2024. Can Mount Academy avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.