Preview: DeMatha Stags vs. Paul VI Panthers
DeMatha and Paul VI are an even 5-5 against one another since January of 2020, but not for long. The DeMatha Stags will head out on the road to square off against the Paul VI Panthers at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
DeMatha can finally bid farewell to their six-game losing streak thanks to their game on Friday. Everything went their way against St. Mary's Ryken as DeMatha made off with a 68-48 win. Given DeMatha's advantage in MaxPreps' Maryland basketball rankings (they are ranked tenth, while St. Mary's Ryken is ranked 53rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead DeMatha to victory, but perhaps none more so than Charles Thomas, who scored 16 points. Thomas is trending in the right direction, as he's improved his point production for three games straight. Another player making a difference was Jacob Wallace, who scored seven points along with five assists and five steals.
Meanwhile, Paul VI came tearing into Friday's contest with nine straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 23.7 points) and they left with even more momentum. They blew past Our Lady of Good Counsel 86-61. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
DeMatha's win bumped their record up to 16-9. As for Paul VI, they pushed their record up to 24-2 with that win, which was their 22nd straight at home dating back to last season.
DeMatha couldn't quite finish off Paul VI in their previous matchup back in February of 2023 and fell 72-70. Can DeMatha avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
