Basketball Recap: Golden Gate Falls Despite Big Games from Sam Powell and Kamal Hyppolite

Golden Gate lost against Barron Collier last Tuesday and unfortunately they wound up with the same result on Friday. The Golden Gate Titans lost 68-47 to the Barron Collier Cougars. While losing is never fun, the Titans can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 423rd, while the Cougars are ranked 152nd).

Golden Gate's loss came despite strong showings from Kamal Hyppolite and Sam Powell. Hyppolite went 5 for 9 on his way to 14 points and five rebounds, while Powell posted 17 points along with six boards and three steals. Powell's evening made it five games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Solomon Powell, who earned six points.

Even though they lost, Golden Gate smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in six consecutive contests.

Spencer Clayton was his usual excellent self, putting up 34 points and five assists for Barron Collier. The dominant performance gave Clayton a new career-high in points. Christian Olander was another key player, posting 12 points and six boards.

Golden Gate's defeat dropped their record down to 8-13. As for Barron Collier, their victory was their 19th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 16-4.

Golden Gate will welcome Gateway Charter at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. One thing working in Gateway Charter's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last five games. As for Barron Collier, they didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next match, a 67-57 loss against Sarasota on the 18th.