Basketball Game Preview: Minersville Battlin' Miners vs. Mahanoy Area Golden Bears

The Minersville Battlin' Miners will head out on the road to challenge the Mahanoy Area Golden Bears at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. Minersville is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 52.6 points per game this season.

Minersville is probably headed into the game with a chip on their shoulder considering Danville just ended the team's four-game winning streak on Saturday. They fell 57-50 to the Ironmen. The loss was the Battlin' Miners' first of the season.

Minersville's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Shazier Bethea, who went 7 for 17 on his way to 17 points and five assists, and Dante Carr, who went 7 of 13 on his way to 16 points and five steals. Bethea's afternoon made it six games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Bradley Kostishak, who posted four points and six rebounds.

Meanwhile, Mahanoy Area put another one in the bag on Saturday to keep their perfect season alive. Everything went their way against Lincoln Leadership Academy as Mahanoy Area made off with a 62-36 victory. The Golden Bears have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five contests by 20 points or more this season.

Mahanoy Area pushed their record up to 6-0 with the win, which was their 17th straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 67.1 points per game. As for Minersville, their defeat ended a five-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 4-1.

Minersville came up short against Mahanoy Area in their previous matchup back in January, falling 52-43. Can Minersville avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.