Basketball Recap: Brenna Walters Key Part of Team Effort in Hurricanes Win

Two teams were on the hunt for playoff glory, but only Palm Harbor University walked away with it. They came out on top against the Riverview Sharks by a score of 51-43 on Thursday. Given the Hurricanes' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 137th, while the Sharks are ranked 463rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Palm Harbor University's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Brenna Walters led the charge by going 6-for-15 to rack up 22 points. The dominant performance gave Walters a new career-high in points. The team also got some help courtesy of Devyn Lavelle, who went 5-for-10 on her way to 13 points and seven rebounds.

Hurricanes

Previous 5 Games

02/06/25 vs Riverview	51-43
01/31/25 vs Tarpon Springs	63-22
01/30/25 @ Berkeley Prep	59-50
01/29/25 vs St. Petersburg	60-49
01/22/25 vs Sumner	51-43

Palm Harbor University smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive boards in 16 consecutive matches.

Mikaylah Birch and Amiyah Austin certainly did their best on Thursday to avoid the loss. Birch went 5-for-10 en route to 10 points and seven boards, while Austin posted 17 points and four steals. Birch is also on a roll when it comes to blocks, as she's now posted two or more in the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Madison Rothenbush, who scored two points.

Palm Harbor University is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight contests, which provided a nice bump to their 15-6 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 60.5 points over those games. As for Riverview, their loss dropped their record down to 7-16.

Palm Harbor University didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next game, a 55-49 win against Sumner on the 8th. Riverview does not have any more games scheduled as of now.