Two dominant players in Gavin Dillon and Caedon Meyer are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Nederland Panthers will head out on the road to take on the Loveland Classical Lions at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Nederland is hoping to put an end to a four-game streak of away losses dating back to last season.
Nederland scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Friday. They walked away with a 51-44 victory over Weldon Valley. That seven points margin sets a new team best for Nederland this season.
Nederland can attribute much of their success to Rick Fortunato, who scored 17 points, and Dillon, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Fortunato has scored all season. Mason Ivy was another key contributor, scoring six points.
Meanwhile, after a string of nine wins, Loveland Classical's good fortune finally ran out on Friday. They were just a bucket shy of victory and fell 63-62 to Windsor Charter Academy. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Loveland Classical has scored all season.
Despite their loss, Loveland Classical saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Luke Sainz, who scored 16 points along with five steals, was perhaps the best of all. Sainz is on a roll when it comes to points, as he's now scored 15 or more in the last five games he's played. Another player making a difference was Meyer, who scored 18 points.
Loveland Classical struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only four offensive rebounds. That's the fewest offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Nederland's victory ended a four-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 2-5. As for Loveland Classical, their defeat ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 9-1.
Thursday's match is shaping up to be a scrappy contest: Nederland have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 24.9 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Loveland Classical, though, as they've been averaging only 27.9 rebounds per game. Given Nederland's sizeable advantage in that area, Loveland Classical will need to find a way to close that gap.
Nederland came up short against Loveland Classical in their previous meeting back in February of 2023, falling 58-53. Can Nederland avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
