The Springstead Eagles will be home for the holidays to greet the Fivay Falcons at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both teams come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Springstead has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four contests by 20 points or more this season. They breezed by Crystal River at home to the tune of 51-11. That 51-11 margin sets a new team best for Springstead this season.
Malanie Francis was her usual excellent self, dropping a double-double on 16 points and 15 rebounds. Those 15 rebounds set a new season-high mark for her. Samantha Suarez was another key contributor, scoring nine points along with ten steals and six assists.
Meanwhile, Fivay blew past Central, posting a 50-7 victory at home. That looming 50-7 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Fivay yet this season.
Jordana Montaner Rodgers and Naimah Mota were among the main playmakers for Fivay as the former scored ten points along with six assists and four steals and the latter scored 15 points along with five rebounds and five steals. The match was Montaner Rodgers' fifth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Brianna Williams, who scored six points along with five rebounds and four blocks.
Springstead's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-3. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.0 points per game. As for Fivay, the victory got them back to even at 4-4.
Friday's match is shaping up to be a scrappy game: Springstead have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 32 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Fivay, though, as they've been averaging only 37.9 rebounds per game. Given Springstead's sizeable advantage in that area, Fivay will need to find a way to close that gap.
Springstead was dealt a bruising 76-41 loss at the hands of Fivay in their previous matchup back in November of 2019. Can Springstead avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
