The Land O' Lakes Gators's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Friday after their sixth straight loss. They were the victim of a rough 74-50 loss at the hands of Wiregrass Ranch. The contest was a close 33-30 at the break, but unfortunately for Land O' Lakes it sure didn't stay that way.
Land O' Lakes lost despite a true team effort on the offense, the best among them being Maxwell Moore, who scored 11 points along with seven assists and two steals. Jaydn Murria was another key contributor, scoring eight points.
Even though they lost, Land O' Lakes were working as a unit and finished the game with 16 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
Kyden Wiley was his usual excellent self, dropping a double-double on 19 points and 11 rebounds for Wiregrass Ranch. Wiley continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Preston Linville, who scored 19 points along with six rebounds.
Land O' Lakes has not been sharp recently, as they've lost seven of their last eight contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-13 record this season. As for Wiregrass Ranch, the victory was the fifth in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 19-2.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Land O' Lakes will play host again and welcome East Lake, where tip off is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. on Monday. East Lake presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Land O' Lakes in Florida (East Lake is ranked 112th, while Land O' Lakes is ranked 412th). As for Wiregrass Ranch, they will be playing at home against Bradenton Christian at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
