After three games on the road, Palmer Ridge is heading back home. They will take on the Lutheran Lions at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Palmer Ridge posted their closest win yet this season on Saturday. They skirted past Pueblo County 45-43.
Jimmer Weir was his usual excellent self, scoring 16 points along with six steals. He hasn't dropped below two steals for six straight games. Another player making a difference was Alex Kraft, who scored eight points along with six rebounds.
Meanwhile, Lutheran came tearing into Saturday's matchup with ten straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 22.2 points) and they left with even more momentum. They secured a 70-64 W over Resurrection Christian. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
Lutheran's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Kade Speckman, who scored 18 points. Hunter Caldwell was another key contributor, scoring 19 points along with seven rebounds.
Palmer Ridge now has a winning record of 7-6. As for Lutheran, their win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-2.
Tuesday's game is shaping up to be a scrappy match: Palmer Ridge have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 25 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Lutheran struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 28.1 rebounds per game. Given Palmer Ridge's sizeable advantage in that area, Lutheran will need to find a way to close that gap.
Palmer Ridge lost to Lutheran at home by a decisive 49-34 margin when the teams last played back in February of 2023. Thankfully for Palmer Ridge, Tucker Monroe (who dropped a double-double on 14 points and ten rebounds) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
