After both having extra time off, the Middleton Tigers and the Freedom Patriots will shake off the cobwebs and challenge one another at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
Last Thursday, Middleton was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 41-36 to East Bay. The loss was the Tigers' first of the season.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Zion Cooper, who scored eight points in addition to ten rebounds. She is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as she's now pulled down nine or more in the last six games she's played dating back to last season. Thea Williams was another key player, scoring nine points along with two steals.
Even though they lost, Middleton smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 13 offensive rebounds in 11 consecutive matches dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Freedom was not able to break out of their rough patch last Friday as the team picked up their sixth straight loss dating back to last season. They took a blow against Wharton, falling 66-33.
Despite the defeat, Freedom saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Nyasia Davis posted 16 points plus two steals.
Having lost for the first time this season, Middleton fell to 2-1. As for Freedom, their loss dropped their record down to 0-3.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Middleton has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 41.7 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Freedom struggles in that department as they've been averaging 21.7. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Middleton against Freedom in their previous meeting back in November of 2023, as the squad secured a 61-27 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Middleton since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
