Basketball Recap: Cayden Thomas Key Part of a Team Effort in Mustangs Win

Mustangs

Margin (Wins)

11/19/24 @ Weeki Wachee	44
01/02/25 vs Largo	36
11/20/24 @ Hudson	33
01/07/25 vs Anclote	23
12/13/24 vs Gulf	22
01/11/25 vs River Ridge	22

Mitchell won the last time they faced River Ridge and things went their way on Saturday too. The Mitchell Mustangs were the clear victor by a 94-72 margin over the River Ridge Royal Knights. The Mustangs have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six contests by 22 points or more this season.

Mitchell's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Cayden Thomas, who dropped a triple-double on 18 points, ten rebounds, and 12 assists. Thomas has been hot, having also posted two or more steals the last seven times he's played. Eli Wilson was another key player, putting up 24 points and five steals.

Mitchell smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 26 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in six consecutive matches.

River Ridge's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Tommy DeLoreto, who went 5 of 6 on his way to 15 points along with six boards and five steals. That's the most steals DeLoreto has posted since back in November of 2024. Another player making a difference was John Golden, who went 5 for 10 en route to 14 points and seven rebounds.

Mitchell's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-7. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 77.0 points per game. As for River Ridge, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost nine of their last 12 games, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-9 record this season.

Mitchell didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next contest, a 75-66 loss against Sports Leadership & Management on the 13th. As for River Ridge, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next matchup, an 86-84 defeat against Fivay on the 14th.