The Plantation Colonels will head out on the road to face off against the Monarch Knights at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. One thing working in Plantation's favor is that they have posted big point totals every time they've taken the court this season.
Even though Plantation has not done well against Hollywood Hills recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. Plantation blew past Hollywood Hills, posting a 79-42 victory at home. Given Plantation's advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 224th, while Hollywood Hills is ranked 703rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Plantation got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Daterrius Heller out in front who dropped a triple-double on 17 points, ten rebounds, and ten steals. Heller set a new season high mark in steals with ten. Another player making a difference was Jabari Washington, who scored 23 points along with five rebounds and three steals.
Meanwhile, Monarch struggled with assists on Monday (South Plantation had 14 more) and sadly the final score reflected it. Monarch had to suffer through a rough 67-28 loss at the hands of South Plantation. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Monarch has scored all season.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Samari Reed, who scored seven points along with three steals.
Plantation's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-0. As for Monarch, they have not been sharp recently, as they've lost three of their last four matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-4 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Plantation have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 28.8 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Monarch, though, as they've been averaging only 32.7 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Plantation beat Monarch 64-52 in their previous matchup back in December of 2022. The rematch might be a little tougher for Plantation since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
