Franklin County is 9-1 against Port St. Joe since February of 2020, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Franklin County Seahawks will take on the Port St. Joe Tiger Sharks at 5:30 p.m. Franklin County has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.
With a playoff game on the line, Franklin County rose to the challenge on Tuesday. They breezed by the Saints at home to the tune of 72-22. That 50 point margin sets a new team best for Franklin County this season.
Franklin County's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Lonnie O'neal, who scored 14 points along with four steals and two blocks. Sadiq Jones was another key contributor, scoring 14 points along with five rebounds and two steals.
Meanwhile, Port St. Joe made easy work of Wewahitchka on Tuesday and carried off a 65-44 victory. Port St. Joe pushed the score to 59-28 by the end of the third, a deficit Wewahitchka cut but never quite recovered from.
Jayden Reese continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, scoring 21 points along with six rebounds and three steals. He has been hot recently, having posted three or more steals the last three times he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Elijah Harris, who scored 12 points along with five assists and five rebounds.
Franklin County pushed their record up to 15-11 with that win, which was their fifth straight at home. As for Port St. Joe, they have been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matches, which provided a nice bump to their 12-12 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Franklin County have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 31.6 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Port St. Joe struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30.5 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Franklin County skirted past Port St. Joe 57-54 when the teams last played two weeks ago. The rematch might be a little tougher for Franklin County since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.