Basketball Recap: Imagine School at North Port Extends Winning Streak to Four

Imagine School at North Port entered their tilt with DeSoto County on Monday with three consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with four. They strolled past the DeSoto County Bulldogs with points to spare, taking the game 67-49. That's the second time they've managed to beat them this season, as they also won 62-57 back in November of 2024.

Imagine School at North Port's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Payton Mitchell led the charge by putting up 12 points and four steals. Those four steals gave Mitchell a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Gavin Lafortune, who posted six points and ten rebounds.

Despite the defeat, DeSoto County saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Eduardo Vasconcelas went 5 for 12 en route to 18 points and three steals. Melquior Jean was another key player, posting seven points and five boards.

Imagine School at North Port is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups, which provided a massive bump to their 13-9 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 62.8 points per game. As for DeSoto County, their loss was their seventh straight on the road, which dropped their record down to 8-14.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Imagine School at North Port will face off against Southwest Florida Christian at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. As for DeSoto County, they will square off against Fort Meade at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday. Fort Meade is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 55.9 points per game this season.