On Wednesday, the Eastern Ramblers faced the Banneker Bulldogs in a battle between two of the state's top teams. Eastern took a 66-61 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Bulldogs. Eastern was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Bulldogs apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in January of 2023.
When it comes to explaining why Eastern lost, one person who can't be blamed is Isyah Joyner. Despite the final result, he scored 30 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Joyner has scored all season. Rashid Faruq was another key contributor, scoring 12 points.
Leading Banneker to victory were Doran Clausell and Jeremiah Shelton. Clausell almost dropped a double-double on 20 points and nine assists, while Shelton almost dropped a double-double on 19 points and nine assists. It was the first time this season that Clausell posted eight or more assists. The team also got some help courtesy of Justin Cave, who scored 12 points along with five rebounds.
Eastern has traveled a rocky road recently having lost six of their last eight contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-6 record this season. As for Banneker, the victory makes it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 9-5.
Eastern will be playing at home against the Roughriders at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Roosevelt is strutting with some offensive muscle, as they've averaged 63.7 points per game this season. As for Banneker, they will head out on the road to take on the Knights at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are closely ranked in District of Columbia (Friendship Collegiate Academy is ranked 22nd, while the Bulldogs are ranked 15th).
