Hernando hasn't had much luck against Dunnellon recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Hernando Leopards just played last yesterday, but they'll still welcome the Dunnellon Tigers at 7:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Hernando is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They blew past Weeki Wachee 70-45 on Tuesday. Winning may never get old, but the Leopards sure are getting used to it with their third in a row.
Hernando's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Daniel Merizalde led the charge by going 9 for 15 on his way to 20 points and eight assists. The team also got some help courtesy of Michael Brown, who went 6 of 8 on his way to 14 points in addition to five rebounds and three blocks.
Hernando smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in nine consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Dunnellon ultimately got the result they hoped for on Monday. They came out on top against Palatka by a score of 70-63. The win was some much needed relief for the Tigers as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Dunnellon's win came from a few key players Hernando will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Eli Nelson, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and 14 rebounds. The dominant performance gave him a new career-high in boards. The team also got some help courtesy of Tre'Quori Rollerson, who went 6 of 8 on his way to 12 points and seven rebounds.
Hernando's victory bumped their record up to 7-2. As for Dunnellon, the win got them back to even at 3-3.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Hernando has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 29.8 boards per game. However, it's not like Dunnellon struggles in that department as they've been averaging 26.8 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Hernando came up short against Dunnellon in their previous meeting back in February of 2022, falling 84-77. Will Hernando 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.
