Basketball Recap: Meredith Gray Key Part of a Team Effort in Panthers Win

Panthers

Margin (Wins)

12/27/24 @ Lutheran North	23
12/18/24 @ Wright City	21
12/19/24 @ Orchard Farm	8
12/26/24 @ St. Charles	4
12/23/24 vs Waterloo	-9

After losing to Lutheran North the last time they met, Jersey decided to demonstrate that turnabout is fair play. The Jersey Panthers put the hurt on the Lutheran North Crusaders with a sharp 58-35 win on Friday. The Panthers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six games by 21 points or more this season.

Jersey's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Meredith Gray led the charge by dropping a double-double on 18 points and 11 boards. The team also got some help courtesy of Ella Smith, who went 5 of 11 on her way to 15 points and three steals.

Jersey has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven matchups, which provided a massive bump to their 9-5 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.9 points per game. As for Lutheran North, their loss ended a five-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 2-5.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Jersey will venture away from home to challenge Fort Zumwalt South at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Jersey is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 51.4 points per game this season. As for Lutheran North, they will have a little extra prep time after the defeat as they won't be playing again for a while. They'll take on Burroughs at 5:30 p.m. on January 7, 2025.