Basketball Game Preview: Mater Lakes Academy Bears vs. Cypress Bay Lightning

The Mater Lakes Academy Bears will square off against the Cypress Bay Lightning at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Mater Lakes Academy is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 60.6 points per game this season.

Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Mater Lakes Academy turned things around against Braddock on Wednesday. They were the clear victor by an 86-61 margin over the Bulldogs. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Bears have posted since December 2, 2024.

Mater Lakes Academy got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Tai Bell out in front who dropped a double-double on 25 points and 14 boards. The dominant performance gave Bell a new career-high in boards. Another player making a difference was Bertran Walthour, who went 8 of 17 on his way to 19 points and six rebounds.

Mater Lakes Academy was working as a unit and finished the game with 15 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.

Meanwhile, Cypress Bay came up short against Blanche Ely on Wednesday and fell 48-38. The matchup marked the Lightning's lowest-scoring game so far this season.

Cypress Bay's loss ended a four-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 10-5. As for Mater Lakes Academy, their win ended a four-game drought at home and bumped them up to 4-12.

Mater Lakes Academy lost to Cypress Bay on the road by a decisive 79-64 margin in their previous meeting back in December of 2019. Can Mater Lakes Academy avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.