The Atlantic Coast Stingrays will venture away from home to take on the Tocoi Creek Toros at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Last Tuesday, Atlantic Coast came up short against Andrew Jackson and fell 57-47. While losing is never fun, the Stingrays can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 209th, while the Tigers are ranked 102nd).
Despite their defeat, Atlantic Coast saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Kylie Johnson, who posted 17 points, was perhaps the best of all. Another player making a difference was Mia Chandler, who had 12 points.
Meanwhile, Tocoi Creek waltzed into their matchup on Friday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They took their game with ease, bagging a 60-19 win over the Generals. The Toros have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven contests by 21 points or more this season.
Atlantic Coast better keep an eye on Audrey Beyer. She was instrumental in Tocoi Creek's win, going 8 for 16 on her way to 23 points and five rebounds. The matchup was Beyer's fourth in a row with at least ten points. Gabi Iturralde was another key player, putting up eight points and six assists.
Tocoi Creek smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in five consecutive games.
Tocoi Creek's victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-6. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 35.6 points. As for Atlantic Coast, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-6 record this season.
Atlantic Coast came out on top in a nail-biter against Tocoi Creek in their previous meeting back in February of 2024, sneaking past 51-48. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Beyer, who went 7 of 14 en route to 19 points in addition to six boards and three steals. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Atlantic Coast still be able to contain Beyer? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
