The Martin Luther King Cougars's homestand continues as they prepare to take on the Benjamin Franklin Electrons at 3:15 p.m. on January 18th. Martin Luther King will have to bring their A-game into this one, as they are staring down a pretty big deficit in the MaxPreps Pennsylvania Rankings (they are ranked 452nd, while Benjamin Franklin is ranked 211th).
While Martin Luther King couldn't quite beat MAST Charter II on Friday, the three-point margin was a huge improvement compared to the 47-point defeat they were dealt on Thursday. Martin Luther King fell just short of MAST Charter II by a score of 41-38.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Benito Scott, who scored 15 points along with six steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points he has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Makhai Robinson, who scored five points along with ten rebounds.
Even though they lost, Martin Luther King smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Franklin came tearing into Thursday's contest with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.7 points) and they left with even more momentum. They claimed a resounding 77-47 win over Tacony Academy Charter on the road. That looming 77-47 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Benjamin Franklin yet this season.
Benjamin Franklin got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Soukare Fane out in front who scored 22 points along with five steals. Fane is on a roll when it comes to points, as he's now scored 15 or more in the last four games he's played. David Winchester was another key contributor, scoring 20 points along with six rebounds and five steals.
Martin Luther King's defeat dropped their record down to 4-3. As for Benjamin Franklin, their win bumped their record up to 8-2.
Thursday's match is shaping up to be a scrappy contest: Martin Luther King have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 18.7 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Benjamin Franklin, though, as they've been averaging only 33 rebounds per game. Given Martin Luther King's sizeable advantage in that area, Benjamin Franklin will need to find a way to close that gap.
Everything came up roses for Martin Luther King against Benjamin Franklin when the teams last played back in January of 2020 as the team secured a 70-40 victory. Does Martin Luther King have another victory up their sleeve, or will Benjamin Franklin turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
