Harlem was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They were four points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 67-63 heartbreaker at the hands of the Jefferson J-Hawks. Unfortunately, that's the second time they've come up short against the J-Hawks this season, as they also lost their prior matchup 60-54 back in January.
Mateo Perera
| 02/14/25 vs Jefferson | 57% |
| 02/07/25 @ Rockford East | 60% |
| 02/05/25 vs Hononegah | 67% |
| 02/03/25 vs Stillman Valley | 50% |
| 02/01/25 vs Plainfield North | 45% |
| + 23 more games |
Harlem's loss came despite strong showings from Mateo Perera and Matthew Saunders. Perera went 6-for-9 from beyond the arc to rack up 22 points along with six assists and six boards, while Saunders went 8-for-15 en route to 22 points. Thanks to that strong game, Perera now owns an excellent 45% field goal percentage. Another player making a difference was DaVontay Gordon, who posted six points and eight rebounds.
Even though they lost, Harlem smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in three consecutive games.
Harlem's defeat dropped their record down to 10-18. As for Jefferson, the win made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 13-17.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Harlem will venture away from home to challenge Dixon at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Harlem knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past eight contests -- so hopefully Dixon likes a good challenge. As for Jefferson, they will head out to face off against Belvidere North at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
