If the Lake Marion Gators were feeling good off their 41-20 takedown of the Swansea Tigers last Saturday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. Lake Marion took a 38-31 hit to the loss column at the hands of Academic Magnet on Tuesday. Lake Marion was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Academic Magnet apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in February of 2023.
Lake Marion lost despite a true team effort on the offense, the best among them being Jimyria Green, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and 13 rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Green has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Teonna Allen, who scored four points along with seven rebounds and four steals.
Leading Academic Magnet to victory were Holly Manning and Abby Brauchle. Manning scored 16 points, while Brauchle scored ten points along with eight rebounds and four blocks. Brauchle continues to roll, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. Evie Walldorf was another key contributor, scoring two points along with seven rebounds and five steals.
Lake Marion's defeat was their third straight on the road, which bumped their record down to 5-8. As for Academic Magnet, their win bumped their record up to 5-13.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Lake Marion won't have much time to rest: their next matchup is against Oceanside Collegiate Academy at 6:30 p.m. on January 17th. Oceanside Collegiate Academy presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Lake Marion in South Carolina (Oceanside Collegiate Academy is ranked 49th, while Lake Marion is ranked 183rd). As for Academic Magnet, they will head out on the road to square off against Bishop England at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Bishop England will be looking to extend their current 17-game winning streak.
