Even though the Holy Cross Cougars have not done well against the Pleasure Ridge Park Panthers recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Holy Cross sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 59-57 win over the Panthers. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
Holy Cross was led to victory by Jacob Hand and Michael Loftis. Hand dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten rebounds, while Loftis scored 20 points along with six assists and two steals. Loftis is trending in the right direction, as he's improved his point production for three games straight. Another player making a difference was Alex Jenkins, who scored nine points.
The win (which was Holy Cross' third in a row) raised their record to 14-9. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 75.7 points per game. As for Pleasure Ridge Park, they are on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 12-11.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Holy Cross will take on the Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. As for Pleasure Ridge Park, they won't have much time to rest: their next contest is against the Eagles at 6:00 p.m. on February 3rd. Portland Christian is no doubt hoping to put an end to a six-game streak of away losses.
