The Windermere Prep Lakers waltzed into Tuesday's matchup with four straight wins but they left with five. They took down Jones 71-56. Given Windermere Prep's advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 69th, while Jones is ranked 275th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Windermere Prep's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Samuel Shoptaw led the charge by scoring 13 points along with nine rebounds and eight assists. That's the first time this season that Shoptaw pulled down eight or more rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Brandon Bass Jr., who scored 17 points along with nine rebounds and three steals.
Windermere Prep's victory was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-1. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 68.8 points per game. As for Jones, they have been struggling recently, as they've lost three of their last four matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-7 record this season.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Windermere Prep will take on Bishop Moore at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Bishop Moore knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past three games -- so hopefully Windermere Prep likes a good challenge. Jones will get a bit of extra time to process the loss as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on Port St. Lucie at 6:00 p.m. on December 27th.
