After both having extra time off, the Dr. Phillips Panthers and the Doral Academy Firebirds will shake off the cobwebs and hit the court one another at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. One thing working in Dr. Phillips' favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last 11 contests.
Dr. Phillips is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup last Friday. They blew past Centennial, posting a 74-41 victory. The Panthers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 16 matches by 22 points or more this season.
Dr. Phillips' win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Anilys Rolon, who shot 67% from the field en route to 15 points and seven rebounds. Jamila Ray was another key player, dropping a double-double with ten points and 11 boards.
Dr. Phillips smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 29 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards every time they've taken the court this season.
Meanwhile, Doral Academy hadn't done well against Miami recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way last Friday. Doral Academy escaped with a win against Miami by the margin of a single free throw, 55-54. The victory was familiar territory for the Firebirds, who have now won seven games in a row.
Doral Academy's win came from a few key players Dr. Phillips will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Dj Myers, who dropped a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. She has been hot, having posted eight or more boards the last six times she's played. Another player making a difference was Stephanie Vega, who went 7-for-17 to rack up 16 points.
Dr. Phillips has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 14 of their last 15 contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 19-9 record this season. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 36.1 points. Doral Academy's record is now 21-7.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Dr. Phillips has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 41.5 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Doral Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.6 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.
