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 host the Mauldin Mavericks at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

J.L. Mann is headed into the game after thoroughly thrashing Easley: they outscored them in every quarter. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that J.L. Mann blew Easley out of the water with a 65-36 final score. Given the Patriots' advantage in MaxPreps' South Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 45th, while the Green Wave are ranked 203rd), the result on Wednesday wasn't entirely unexpected.

Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead J.L. Mann to victory, but perhaps none more so than Imari Richardson, who went 7 of 10 on her way to 18 points along with eight boards and five steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Olivia McKinney, who posted 12 points in addition to seven steals and six assists.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Mauldin). They took their match on Tuesday with ease, bagging a 56-27 victory over Easley.

J.L. Mann has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight contests, which provided a nice bump to their 7-5 record this season. As for Mauldin, they pushed their record up to 9-3 with the win, which was their third straight at home.

J.L. Mann came up short against Mauldin in their previous meeting back in February of 2024, falling 55-42. Will J.L. Mann have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.