For the first time this season, Fort Myers will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. After both having extra time off, they and the North Fort Myers Red Knights will shake off the rust and duke it out at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Fort Myers is headed into the matchup out to prove that what happened against Estero last Thursday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Green Wave came up short against the Wildcats, falling 48-25. The Green Wave haven't had much luck with the Wildcats recently, as the team has come up short the last four times they've met.
Despite their defeat, Fort Myers saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Taylor Hargrove, who posted eight points and five boards, was perhaps the best of all. The team also got some help courtesy of Jordan McKee, who earned two points and eight rebounds.
Meanwhile, a well-balanced attack led North Fort Myers over Cypress Lake in every quarter on their way to victory last Thursday. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that the Red Knights blew the Panthers out of the water with a 56-27 final score. The Red Knights pushed the score to 43-17 by the end of the third, a deficit the Panthers had little chance of recovering from.
North Fort Myers' win came from a few key players Fort Myers will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kelley Conley, who went 7-for-15 to rack up 17 points along with seven boards and three steals. Those 17 points gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Lily Erickson, who dropped a double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds.
North Fort Myers pushed their record up to 2-0 with the victory, which was their 15th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 26.7 points on average over those games. As for Fort Myers, they now have a losing record of 1-2.
Fort Myers lost to North Fort Myers on the road by a decisive 45-29 margin when the teams last played back in December of 2024. Thankfully for the Green Wave, Bianca Iten (who shot 50% from the field on her way to 22 points in addition to six boards and three steals) 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.
