Lecanto typically has all the answers at home, but on Monday Blake proved too difficult a challenge. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Lecanto Panthers, sneaking past 68-66. Given the Yellow Jackets' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 30th, while the Panthers are ranked 105th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Blake's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Joe Philon led the charge by dropping a double-double on 17 points and ten boards. Philon is also on a roll when it comes to blocks, as he's now posted two or more in the last three games he's played. Jordan Mickens was another key player, going 9 of 11 en route to 18 points.
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Blake smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 21 consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
Lecanto's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Braylen Moore, who went 11 for 22 on his way to 27 points. The team also got some help courtesy of JT Tipton, who posted 11 points in addition to eight assists and three steals.
Blake pushed their record up to 16-3 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. As for Lecanto, the loss snapped their winning streak at seven games and leaves them with a 16-2 record.
Blake has already played their next contest, a 90-50 victory against Durant on the 21st. As for Lecanto, they also didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next game, a 79-29 win against Hernando on the 21st.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
