The Flagler Panthers's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Friday after their eighth straight defeat. The contest between them and Hi-Plains wasn't particularly close, with Flagler falling 53-37. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Flagler in their matchups with Hi-Plains: they've now lost four in a row.
Despite the loss, Flagler saw an underclassman step up: Brayden Hill dropped a double-double on 11 points and 14 rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Owen Witt, who scored seven points along with five rebounds and two steals.
Even though they lost, Flagler smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Hi-Plains' victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Aiden Cordell, who scored 25 points along with five assists and five rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Cordell has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Bex Seaman, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Flagler's defeat was their sixth straight at home, which dropped their record down to 3-12. That rough patch could be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they only averaged 23.3 points per game. As for Hi-Plains, their win bumped their record up to 4-10.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Flagler will take on Stratton at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Stratton has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games. As for Hi-Plains, they won't have much time to rest: their next game is against Otis at 4:30 p.m. on February 3rd. One thing working in Otis' favor is that they have posted big point totals in their last six contests.
