Tamaqua is 8-2 against the Panthers since February of 2020, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Tamaqua Blue Raiders will take on the Panther Valley Panthers at 6:00 p.m. Given that the pair suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.
On Monday, Tamaqua came up short against the Eagles and fell 42-34. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Tamaqua in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now lost six in a row.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Samantha Plasha, who scored 11 points along with three steals. Lauren Ligenza was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with eight rebounds and two steals.
Meanwhile, Panther Valley also suffered a loss in their last game, but this one to the Blue Raiders by a score of 46-39.
Despite the loss, Panther Valley saw an underclassman step up: Morgan Orsulak dropped a double-double on 15 points and 17 rebounds. Another player making a difference was Maddison Maynard, who scored 13 points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Tamaqua's defeat dropped their record down to 15-7. As for Panther Valley, their defeat dropped their record down to 14-7.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Tamaqua have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 30.3 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Panther Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 32.7 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Tamaqua beat the Panthers 46-39 in their previous meeting on Thursday. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Orsulak, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 17 rebounds. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Tamaqua still be able to contain Orsulak? There's only one way to find out.
