The Colonial Grenadiers will take on the Apopka Blue Darters at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Colonial knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past eight games -- so hopefully Apopka likes a good challenge.
Colonial heads in on the heels of a playoff match last Monday. They took a 64-57 hit to the loss column at the hands of Boone. The loss continues a trend for the Grenadiers in their matchups with the Braves: they've now lost three in a row.
Silas Williams
| 02/03/25 vs Boone | 29 |
| 01/31/25 vs Boone | 23 |
| 01/30/25 vs Master's Academy | 12 |
| 01/28/25 vs Innovation | 9 |
| 01/24/25 @ University | 16 |
| + 20 more games |
Despite the defeat, Colonial got top-tier performance from Silas Williams, who dropped a double-double with 29 points and ten rebounds. Williams continues to improve, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Whitfield Bynoe, who posted 12 points.
Meanwhile, Apopka strolled past Ocoee with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 63-47. The victory continues a trend for the Blue Darters in their matchups with the Knights: they've now won three in a row.
Apopka's win came from a few key players Colonial will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jermichael Johnson, who went 8 of 14 en route to 19 points and four steals. He is also on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as he's posted one of at least 45% in the last six games he's played. Larson Taylor was another key player, putting up 11 points and seven boards.
Apopka smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in three consecutive contests.
Apopka's win bumped their record up to 19-7. As for Colonial, their loss dropped their record down to 13-12.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Colonial has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 27.3 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Apopka struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.2 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Colonial came up short against Apopka in their previous meeting back in January of 2015, falling 61-51. Can Colonial avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
