There's no place like home for the Medford Tech Jaguars, who bounced back after a tough loss on the road last Saturday. They strolled past Holy Cross with points to spare on Tuesday, taking the game 67-53. Given Medford Tech's advantage in MaxPreps' New Jersey basketball rankings (they are ranked 78th, while Holy Cross is ranked 337th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
It was another big night for Nesta Rice, who scored 29 points along with two steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points he has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Tre Powell, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and ten rebounds.
When it comes to explaining why Holy Cross lost, one person who can't be blamed is Emmanuel Doku. Despite the final result, he dropped a double-double on 25 points and 11 rebounds. Doku is absolutely dominating the rebound category: he's posted at least eight every time he's taken the court this season. Avian Novoa was another key contributor, scoring nine points along with ten rebounds.
Medford Tech's victory was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 7-1. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 73.0 points per game. As for Holy Cross, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost four of their last five games, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-5 record this season.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Medford Tech will take on Northern Burlington at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Northern Burlington is coming into the matchup on a four-game losing streak. As for Holy Cross, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Burlington City at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday. Burlington City is coming into the match on a three-game losing streak.
