Nederland hasn't had much luck against Loveland Classical recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. A feisty cat fight is on tap when the Nederland Panthers face off against the Loveland Classical Lions at 7:00 p.m. Nederland has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.
Last Monday, Nederland ended up a good deal behind William Smith and lost 55-37.
| 01/27/25 @ William Smith | 11 |
| 12/13/24 @ Ascent Classical Academy Northern Colorado | 4 |
| 01/15/25 vs Addenbrooke Classical Academy | 4 |
| 12/04/24 vs Union Colony Prep | 4 |
| 01/29/24 @ Poudre Community Academy | 3 |
Nederland might have lost, but man, Mason Ivey was a machine: he dropped a double-double on 23 points and 11 rebounds. Those 11 boards gave Ivey a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Drew Hertzfeld, who posted four points and seven rebounds.
Even though they lost, Nederland smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive boards they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Loveland Classical waltzed into their game on Monday with six straight wins... but they left with seven. They claimed a resounding 75-41 win over the Spartans. The Lions have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven matches by 27 points or more this season.
Loveland Classical's win came from a few key players Nederland will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jackson Jensen, who went 8 of 12 en route to 18 points in addition to five boards and three steals. He has been hot, having posted three or more steals the last seven times he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Kole Doan, who went 7 for 10 on his way to 17 points.
Loveland Classical's victory was their 16th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 11-1. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 35.9 points. As for Nederland, their loss dropped their record down to 1-12.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Nederland has been crashing the rebounds this season, having averaged 24.6 boards per game. However, it's not like Loveland Classical struggles in that department as they've been averaging 33 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Nederland was taken down by Loveland Classical 69-19 in their previous matchup back in February of 2024. Thankfully for Nederland, Caedon Meyer (who went 7 of 8 en route to 16 points) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
