A feisty cat fight will be fought when the Clewiston Tigers take on the First Baptist Academy Lions at 7:30 p.m. on Monday... Clewiston's defense has only allowed 23.9 points per game this season, so First Baptist Academy's offense will have their work cut out for them.
Clewiston took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 44-22 margin over Avon Park. The Tigers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three games by 21 points or more this season.
| 12/13/24 vs Avon Park | 10 |
| 12/04/24 @ Glades Central | 8 |
| 12/03/24 @ Glades Day | 6 |
| 12/06/23 vs Santaluces | 5 |
| 01/16/24 vs Glades Day | 5 |
Clewiston's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Kalyn Johnson led the charge by dropping a double-double on 18 points and ten steals. The dominant performance gave Johnson a new career-high in steals. Tyra Fields was another key player, almost dropping a double-double on nine points and 11 boards.
Meanwhile, First Baptist Academy entered their tilt with Neumann on Thursday with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. They strolled past the Celtics with points to spare, taking the game 48-34. Given the Lions' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 21st, while the Celtics are ranked 299th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
First Baptist Academy's win came from a few key players Clewiston will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Zara Leilani Stewart, who went 6 of 12 on her way to 14 points and three steals. She is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed three or more in the last three games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Laila Stewart, who posted nine points.
Clewiston's victory was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 6-1. As for First Baptist Academy, their win bumped their record up to 9-1.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Clewiston has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 29.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like First Baptist Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.6 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Clewiston couldn't quite finish off First Baptist Academy in their previous meeting back in December of 2022 and fell 38-35. Can Clewiston avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
