Fort Wayne North Side is 1-6 against Lakewood Park Christian since December of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Monday. The Legends will look to defend their home court against the Panthers at 7:30 p.m. Fort Wayne North Side has given up an average of 63.4 points per game this season, but Monday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Fort Wayne North Side is headed into the matchup out to prove that what happened against Fremont on Saturday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Legends had to suffer through a 61-21 loss at the hands of the Eagles. The Legends were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 45-10.
Despite the loss, Fort Wayne North Side saw an underclassman step up: freshman Tamiyah Belcher went 6-for-9 en route to 12 points and three steals. Those three steals set a new season-high mark for Belcher.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Lakewood Park Christian, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 38-35 win over New Haven on Thursday. The victory continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now won four in a row.
Lakewood Park Christian's win came from a few key players Fort Wayne North Side will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Luca Bontrager, who shot 45% from the field on her way to 13 points and five boards. That's the most points she has posted since back in November of 2024. Another player making a difference was Riah Johnson, who earned ten points and eight rebounds.
Lakewood Park Christian smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in four consecutive games.
Fort Wayne North Side's defeat dropped their record down to 0-5. As for Lakewood Park Christian, the win got them back to even at 4-4.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Fort Wayne North Side has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 26.6 boards per game. However, it's not like Lakewood Park Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 32.8 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Fort Wayne North Side suffered a grim 45-25 defeat to Lakewood Park Christian when the teams last played back in November of 2024. Will the Legends have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
