The Shaker Bison will square off against the Albany Falcons at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Shaker will be strutting in after a victory while Albany will be coming in after a loss.
With a playoff game on the line, Shaker rose to the challenge on Tuesday. They claimed a resounding 71-29 win over the Patriots at home. Shaker's offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Shaker's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Sofia Lanni led the charge by scoring 12 points along with seven assists and seven rebounds. Another player making a difference was Giada Lanni, who scored six points along with eight steals and seven rebounds.
Meanwhile, Albany faced Averill Park in a battle between two of the state's top teams. Albany took a 55-42 hit to the loss column at the hands of Averill Park two weeks ago.
The losing side was boosted by Azera Gates, who scored 15 points along with four steals. Mia Corazzini was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with seven rebounds and two blocks.
Shaker has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 14-7 record this season. As for Albany, their defeat dropped their record down to 14-5.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Shaker have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.5 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Albany struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.8 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Shaker came up short against Albany in their previous meeting back in December of 2023, falling 59-54. Can Shaker avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
