The Orange Park Raiders's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Monday after their fifth straight loss. They fell 48-41 to Hawthorne.
Orange Park's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Autumn Nesmith, who scored 11 points along with two steals. Nesmith is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last four games she's played. Another player making a difference was Piera Alexander, who scored 13 points along with five rebounds and two blocks.
Jhalea Jackson was her usual excellent self, scoring ten points along with seven assists and six blocks for Hawthorne. Jackson is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last three games she's played. Ranicia Coleman was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with 11 rebounds.
Orange Park has not been sharp recently, as they've lost seven of their last eight contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 9-8 record this season. As for Hawthorne, the victory was the eighth in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 11-3.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Orange Park will take on Tocoi Creek at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Hopefully Tocoi Creek focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 15 on Tuesday. As for Hawthorne, they won't have much time to rest: their next game is against Buchholz at 6:00 p.m. on January 23rd.
