Bartow is 10-0 against Lake Wales since January of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Wednesday. The Bartow Yellow Jackets will take on the Lake Wales Highlanders in a holiday battle at at 7:30 p.m. Bartow knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with 55 points or more in their past nine matchups -- so hopefully Lake Wales likes a good challenge.
Last Friday, Bartow got the win against Berkeley Prep by a conclusive 73-49. The Yellow Jackets have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six games by 24 points or more this season.
Ja'kylen Crossley
| 12/13/24 vs Berkeley Prep | 7 |
| 01/29/24 @ Mulberry | 6 |
| 12/29/23 vs Cardinal Newman | 5 |
| 11/21/23 @ Tampa Catholic | 3 |
| 02/20/24 vs Edgewater | 3 |
Bartow got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Ja'Kylen Crossley out in front who posted 14 points in addition to seven boards and three steals. The dominant performance gave Crossley a new career-high in boards. Another player making a difference was Messiah Borders, who went 5 of 10 on his way to 15 points.
Bartow smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in five consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, you're bound to get a positive result if you outscore your opponent every quarter, and that's exactly how it played out for Lake Wales on Monday. They put the hurt on Mulberry with a sharp 59-39 win. The matchup marked the Highlanders' most dominant victory of the season so far.
Bartow better keep an eye on Bradley Auguste. He was instrumental in Lake Wales' win, dropping a double-double on ten points and ten rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Samauri Wilson, who put up nine points and five rebounds.
Lake Wales' record now sits at 5-3. As for Bartow, their win was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 8-1.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Bartow has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 36.3 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Lake Wales struggles in that department as they've been averaging 40.3 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Bartow against Lake Wales in their previous matchup back in January, as the team secured a 67-34 victory. Does Bartow have another victory up their sleeve, or will Lake Wales turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
