The Vero Beach Indians will face off against the Somerset College Prep Academy Spartans at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Vero Beach is coming into the matchup on a three-game losing streak.
Vero Beach is headed into the contest out to prove that what happened against Centennial on Wednesday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Vero Beach was outmatched by Centennial and fell 73-45. While losing is never fun, the Indians can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 283rd, while the Eagles are ranked 47th).
| 01/15/25 vs Centennial | 21 |
| 01/13/25 vs Jensen Beach | 5 |
| 01/07/25 vs Cocoa | 28 |
| 01/06/25 vs Morningside Academy | 20 |
| 12/20/24 vs Treasure Coast | 26 |
Despite the defeat, Vero Beach had strong showings from Ekklesia Anderson, who went 7 for 13 from beyond the arc on her way to 21 points and six rebounds, and Zy?Noria Ferguson, who almost dropped a double-double on 12 points and nine boards. With that strong performance, Anderson is now averaging an impressive 15.2 points per game.
Even though they lost, Vero Beach smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in eight consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Somerset College Prep Academy ended up a good deal behind Inlet Grove on Thursday and lost 63-47. The Spartans have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Despite the loss, Somerset College Prep Academy saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Khloe Rodgers posted 29 points and six steals. That was a full 61.7% of Somerset College Prep Academy's points, marking the tenth time in a row she's had more than a third of the team's points. Another player making a difference was Adriana Martinez, who scored four points and ten boards.
Somerset College Prep Academy's defeat dropped their record down to 5-7. As for Vero Beach, their loss dropped their record down to 3-10.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Vero Beach has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 33.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Somerset College Prep Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.7 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Vero Beach was able to grind out a solid win over Somerset College Prep Academy in their previous meeting back in December of 2024, winning 49-40. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Rodgers, who put up 27 points in addition to seven steals and three blocks. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Vero Beach still be able to contain Rodgers? There's only one way to find out.
