Basketball Game Preview: Apopka Blue Darters vs. East Ridge Knights

The Apopka Blue Darters will face off against the East Ridge Knights on Wednesday.

Apopka saw some tournament action on Friday. They took a 57-48 hit to the loss column at the hands of Bartow.

Meanwhile, it's playoff time, and East Ridge had no trouble coming through when it counted. Everything went their way against West Port on Monday as East Ridge made off with a 76-53 win.

Apopka better keep an eye on Isayah Smith. He was instrumental in East Ridge's win, dropping a double-double on 18 points and 12 steals. The dominant performance also gave Smith a new career-high in assists (eight). Another player making a difference was Joshua Joehill, who went 10 of 16 on his way to 24 points.

East Ridge's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-17. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 82.0 points per game. As for Apopka, their defeat dropped their record down to 17-7.

Everything came up roses for Apopka against East Ridge in their previous matchup back in February of 2023, as the team secured a 54-17 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Apopka since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.