After a string of four wins, the Laurel Spartans's good fortune finally ran out on Thursday. They took a 62-51 hit to the loss column at the hands of DuVal. The result was an unpleasant reminder to Laurel of the 44-38 defeat they experienced in the two teams' previous head-to-head fixture back in March of 2023.
Laurel's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jermaine Taylor, who scored nine points along with ten rebounds and five assists. That's the first time this season that Taylor pulled down eight or more rebounds. Gilbert Osafo was another key contributor, dropping a double-double on 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Even though they lost, Laurel smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Amani Lett had an outrageously good game for DuVal as he scored 20 points along with eight assists and five steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Daniel Nwaete, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Laurel's loss dropped their record down to 7-5. As for DuVal, they pushed their record up to 8-3 with that win, which was their fifth straight on the road.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Laurel will play host again and welcome High Point, where tip off is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday. As for DuVal, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Wise at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Wise knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with flashy point totals in its past eight games -- so hopefully DuVal likes a good challenge.
