On Friday, the McKinley Panthers didn't have quite enough to beat the Heights Bulldogs and fell 57-55. The loss was a bit of a surprise, as the Panthers came into the contest with a sizable advantage in MaxPreps' basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 85th in Louisiana, while the Bulldogs are ranked 281st in Texas).
Heights was led to victory by Dj Baines and Eric (Ej) Beard Jr. Baines posted 19 points along with three steals and three blocks, while Beard Jr went 6 for 11 on his way to 18 points. That's the most points Baines has posted since back in November. Jordan Clavelle was another key player, putting up five points and three steals.
McKinley has been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-6 record this season. As for Heights, with the victory, they broke their three-game losing streak and moved their record to 11-9.
McKinley will get a bit of extra time to process the defeat as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on Madison Prep Academy at 7:00 p.m. on January 7, 2025. As for Heights, they wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next game, a 57-52 loss against Washington on the 21st.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
