The Coolidge Bears will head out on the road to take on the Florence Gophers at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. Coolidge will be strutting in after a victory while Florence will be coming in after a loss.
Coolidge is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They snuck past Holbrook with a 49-44 win. The Bears haven't had any issues with the Roadrunners recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Porter Dees
| 02/18/25 vs Holbrook | 3 |
| 02/06/25 @ Seton Catholic | 2 |
| 01/29/25 vs Apache Junction | 1 |
| 01/17/25 @ Florence | 1 |
| 01/09/25 @ Palo Verde | 1 |
| + 7 more games |
Coolidge's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Porter Dees, who posted eight points in addition to 15 rebounds and three steals. That's the most steals Dees has posted since back in December of 2024. Preston Dees was another key player, dropping a double-double with 13 points and 15 boards.
Coolidge smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 20 offensive boards. They pulled down ten more offensive rebounds than Holbrook's also-impressive total of ten.
Florence has been a dominant force so far, but they're in the middle of a mini-slump at the moment. They lost to North Valley Christian Academy on the road by a 72-54 margin last Wednesday.
Coolidge will have to keep a close watch on Adrian Taufaasau and Logan Stenson, a pair of players who had a big impact on Florence's prior game. Taufaasau went 9-for-15 on his way to 19 points and seven rebounds, while Stenson dropped a double-double with 17 points and 13 boards. Stenson has been hot for a while, having posted ten or more rebounds the last nine times he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Darren Swain, who earned nine points.
Florence's defeat dropped their record down to 23-4. As for Coolidge, their record now sits at 23-9.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Coolidge has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.3 boards per game. However, it's not like Florence struggles in that department as they've been averaging 39 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Coolidge came up short against Florence when the teams last played on February 4th, falling 57-48. Can Coolidge avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
