The Island Coast Gators will take on the DeSoto County Bulldogs on Thursday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Island Coast is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They managed a 38-34 win over Cypress Lake.
Meanwhile, even if it wasn't a dominant performance, DeSoto County beat Manatee 57-53 on Friday. Given the Bulldogs' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 109th, while the Hurricanes are ranked 237th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Island Coast better focus on containing Yahri Tyler and Cherish Wiggins as the pair were huge in DeSoto County's win. Tyler dropped a double-double on 18 points and 18 rebounds, while Wiggins dropped a double-double on 18 points and ten boards. What's more, Wiggins also racked up six steals, the most she's had since back in December of 2024. Jaliyah Luther was another key player, putting up two points and ten boards.
DeSoto County smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 21 offensive boards. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their offensive rebound total in three consecutive matchups.
DeSoto County has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a nice bump to their 17-6 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.5 points per game. As for Island Coast, their record now sits at 8-17.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
