The Mandarin Mustangs entered their tilt with the Atlantic Coast Stingrays with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. Mandarin took down Atlantic Coast 64-49 on Thursday. Given Mandarin's advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 252nd, while Atlantic Coast is ranked 654th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
It was another big night for Dylan McCleod, who scored 23 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Justin Squire, who scored four points along with five rebounds and four blocks.
Atlantic Coast's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was JP Pearson, who scored 17 points. Malik Aker was another key contributor, scoring eight points.
Mandarin's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-5. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 72.3 points per game. As for Atlantic Coast, their loss dropped their record down to 1-16.
Mandarin won't have much time to rest: their next matchup is against Trinity Christian Academy at 7:00 p.m. on January 12th. As for Atlantic Coast, they will head out on the road to take on First Coast at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. First Coast is strutting with some offensive muscle, as they've averaged 57 points per game.
