The Paint Branch Panthers and the Seneca Valley Screamin' Eagles will compete for holiday cheer at 7:15 p.m. on Monday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.
Last Friday, Paint Branch didn't have quite enough to beat Einstein and fell 60-57. The Panthers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Meanwhile, Seneca Valley was just a bucket shy of victory on Friday and fell 49-48 to Bethesda-Chevy Chase. The Screamin' Eagles haven't had much luck with the Barons recently, as the team's come up short the last four times they've met.
Paint Branch will need focus on slowing down Mina Hashemzadeh, one of several Seneca Valley players who made an impact when they last played. She posted eight points in addition to six boards and five assists. Hashemzadeh is also crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Brielle Watson, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten boards.
Even though they lost, Seneca Valley 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 five consecutive matches dating back to last season.
Seneca Valley's defeat ended a five-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 2-1. As for Paint Branch, they now have a losing record at 1-2.
Paint Branch lost to Seneca Valley on the road by a decisive 59-43 margin in their previous meeting back in December of 2023. Can Paint Branch avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
