The Liberty Raiders will challenge the Nitro Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
On Friday, Liberty was able to grind out a solid win over Mount Hope Christian Academy, taking the game 70-61.
Liberty got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Liam Daniels out in front who went 8-for-18 to rack up 23 points and seven boards. The team also got some help courtesy of Bryson Fox, who posted 12 points and five steals.
Meanwhile, Nitro waltzed into their contest on Tuesday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They took their matchup with ease, bagging an 84-34 win over the Panthers. The Wildcats have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three games by 31 points or more this season.
Liberty better focus on containing Ty Stephens and Collin Crouch as the pair were huge in Nitro's win. Stephens shot 65% from the field on his way to 27 points and five rebounds, while Crouch went 8-for-13 en route to 17 points along with seven assists and six boards. Thanks to that strong game, Stephens now owns an excellent 49.3% shooting accuracy. Chris Radcliffe was another key player, shooting 63% from the field to rack up 11 points and five steals.
Nitro smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds every time they've taken the court this season.
Liberty's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-2. As for Nitro, their win bumped their record up to 4-1.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Liberty has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 25.3 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Nitro struggles in that department as they've been averaging 38.2 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
