The Thomas MacLaren School Highlanders are taking a road trip to square off against the James Irwin Jaguars at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.
Thomas MacLaren School is headed into the matchup out to prove that what happened against Crowley County on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Thomas MacLaren School was beaten by Crowley County 73-35. While losing is never fun, the Highlanders can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Colorado basketball rankings (they are ranked 217th, while the Chargers are ranked 55th).
Jake Frisbie
| 02/21/25 vs Crowley County | 10 |
| 02/18/25 vs Miami-Yoder | 11 |
| 02/11/25 @ Banning Lewis Academy | 8 |
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Jake Frisbie, who posted eight points and ten rebounds. He is on a roll when it comes to boards, as he's now pulled down eight or more in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Nathaniel Stokes, who put up 13 points.
Meanwhile, James Irwin was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their seventh straight loss. They took a blow against Liberty Tree Academy, falling 69-38.
Thomas MacLaren School will have to keep a close watch on Jonathan Kimble and Abdoulaye Ballo, a pair of players who had a big impact on James Irwin's prior game. Kimble dropped a double-double with 22 points and 16 rebounds, while Ballo scored 14 points in addition to eight boards and five blocks. The dominant performance gave Ballo a new career-high in blocks.
Even though they lost, James Irwin smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in three consecutive contests.
James Irwin's defeat dropped their record down to 2-15. As for Thomas MacLaren School, they now have a losing record of 10-11.
This contest is shaping up to be a blowout: Thomas MacLaren School just can't miss this season, having made 55.8% of their shots per game. It's a different story for James Irwin, though, as they've only made 29.8% of their field goals this season. Given Thomas MacLaren School's sizable advantage in that area, James Irwin will need to find a way to close that gap.
Thomas MacLaren School ended up a good deal behind James Irwin in their previous meeting back in December of 2023, losing 52-37. Can Thomas MacLaren School avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
