Basketball Recap: Fernando Flores' Big Game Can't Quite Lead Mitchell over Avery County

Mitchell was the 69-54 winner over Avery County when they last played one another last Saturday, but their luck changed this time around. The Mitchell Mountaineers took a 58-52 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Avery County Vikings.

Fernando Flores

Steals

02/17/25 vs Avery County	3
02/15/25 @ Avery County	3
02/07/25 vs Rosman	3
02/06/25 @ NCSSM: Morganton	2

Several Mountaineers players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Fernando Flores, who posted 11 points in addition to six assists and six rebounds. Flores is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in each of the last four games he's played. Ian Ledford was another key player, putting up 11 points and six boards.

Even though they lost, Mitchell 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 eight offensive rebounds in four consecutive games.

Avery County's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Landon Liner led the charge by dropping a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Those 13 boards gave Liner a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Hank Johnson, who on his way to 11 points and seven rebounds.

Mitchell's defeat dropped their record down to 13-9. As for Avery County, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-10 record this season.

Mitchell didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next match, an 84-63 loss against Eastern Randolph on the 25th. As for Avery County, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next game, a 64-36 defeat against Mountain Heritage on the 18th.