The Clewiston Tigers will face off against the Avon Park Red Devils at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with eight losses in a row, Clewiston turned things around against Pahokee on Friday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 38-35 win over the Blue Devils. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Tigers have posted since December 3, 2024.
Clewiston's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Richard Exilehomme, who posted 13 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Derrick Webber, who had eight points and nine rebounds.
Meanwhile, Avon Park came tearing into Tuesday's game with ten straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 16.7 points) and they left with even more momentum. They took down the Terriers 66-49. 66 seems to be a good number for the Red Devils as the team scooped up a win with the same number of points in their previous game.
Clewiston better keep an eye on Christopher Kelly. He was instrumental in Avon Park's win, dropping a double-double on 18 points and ten boards. With that strong performance, Kelly is now averaging an impressive 2.2 blocks per game. Damari Cohen was another key player, putting up 12 points and eight rebounds.
Avon Park's victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 13-1. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 72.2 points per game. As for Clewiston, their win bumped their record up to 2-9.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Clewiston has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 34.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Avon Park struggles in that department as they've been averaging 50.4 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Clewiston ended up a good deal behind Avon Park in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, losing 62-46. Will Clewiston have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
