Basketball Recap: Landon Petty's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Indianapolis Metropolitan over Mooresville

Indianapolis Metropolitan has been a dominant force so far, but they're in the middle of a mini-slump at the moment. They were six points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 61-55 heartbreaker at the hands of the Mooresville Pioneers. The Pumas were probably out for revenge after losing 42-36 to them when the teams met back in December of 2023, then they'll just have to keep looking.

Indianapolis Metropolitan's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Landon Petty, who went 6 for 10 on his way to 15 points and seven rebounds. Petty continues to improve, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Kwame Hawkins, who went 6 of 15 on his way to 12 points in addition to eight boards and five steals.

Pumas

Previous 2 Games

12/27/24 vs Mooresville	55-61
12/21/24 vs Clay City	54-56

Even though they lost, Indianapolis Metropolitan smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in seven consecutive games.

Mooresville got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Aj Defur out in front who posted 20 points and seven rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Tyrone Elmore, who put up 12 points and three steals.

Indianapolis Metropolitan's record now sits at 8-3. As for Mooresville, the win (which was their fifth in a row) raised their record to 5-3.

Indianapolis Metropolitan will have a little extra prep time after the defeat as they won't be playing again for a while. They'll take on Mooresville Christian at 7:30 p.m. on January 7, 2025. As for Mooresville, they won't have much time to rest: their next matchup is against Perry Meridian at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Mooresville knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past five contests -- so hopefully Perry Meridian likes a good challenge.