Recap: Winter Haven Blue Devils vs. Bartow Yellow Jackets
The Winter Haven Blue Devils came tearing into Thursday's contest with 13 straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 18.2 points) and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on Bartow with a sharp 80-56 victory. Winter Haven has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six contests by 24 points or more this season.
It was another big night for Jamie Phillips jr, who scored 21 points along with six rebounds and five assists. The team also got some help courtesy of Tyrese Mayo, who scored 14 points along with five rebounds and three steals.
Bartow's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Messiah Borders, who scored 16 points along with five assists. Borders continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Antwan Willis, who scored 13 points.
Winter Haven's victory was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 14-1. They've been dominating during the games in that stretch too, as they've won by an average of 20.27 points. As for Bartow, their loss dropped their record down to 8-8.
Winter Haven will take on Florida State University High School at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. Florida State University High School knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past six matchups -- so hopefully Winter Haven likes a good challenge. As for Bartow, they will head out on the road to challenge Lake Gibson at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
