The Manteno Panthers will take on the Chicago Christian Knights at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Manteno will be looking to extend their current seven-game winning streak.
Manteno will bounce into Tuesday's contest after beating Coal City, who they had gone 2-7 against in their nine prior meetings. Manteno came out on top against Coal City by a score of 53-40 last Monday.
Maddie Gesky
| 02/10/25 vs Coal City | 16 |
| 02/06/25 @ Herscher | 15 |
| 02/03/25 vs Streator | 12 |
| 01/30/25 @ Lisle | 9 |
| 01/28/25 vs Clifton Central | 10 |
| + 3 more games |
Manteno got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Maddie Gesky out in front who dropped a double-double with 11 points and 16 boards. Gesky is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as she's now pulled down nine or more in each of the last eight games she's played. Emily Horath was another key player, almost dropping a double-double with 12 points and nine boards.
Manteno smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in 13 consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, it can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Chicago Christian had no problem doing just that on Saturday. They snuck past Southland College Prep with a 33-27 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Knights.
Chicago Christian's win came from a few key players Manteno will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Sydney Harris, who posted two points and eight rebounds.
Manteno pushed their record up to 23-4 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 58.7 points over those games. As for Chicago Christian, their win bumped their record up to 17-14.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Manteno has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 32.8 boards per game. However, it's not like Chicago Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30.9 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Manteno beat Chicago Christian 52-43 in their previous matchup back in December of 2024. Does Manteno have another victory up their sleeve, or will Chicago Christian turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
