The Cypress Lake Panthers were the 74-57 winner over the Riverdale Raiders when they last played one another back in November of 2023, but their luck changed this time around. Cypress Lake took a 67-63 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Raiders. Cypress Lake's defeat continues an unfortunate trend for the squad, making it three in a row.
When it comes to explaining why Cypress Lake lost on Friday, one person who can't be blamed is Giordan Easely. Despite the final result, he scored 27 points along with five assists and three steals. That was a full 42.9% of Cypress Lake's points, marking the third time in a row he's earned more than a third of the team's points. Eli Reed was another key contributor, scoring 11 points along with two steals.
Riverdale was led to victory by Jamar Underwood and Konnor Vonhagen. Underwood almost dropped a triple-double on 14 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, while Vonhagen dropped a double-double on 18 points and 18 rebounds. It was the first time this season that Underwood posted eight or more assists. Another player making a difference was Destin Bess, who scored 13 points.
Cypress Lake has traveled a rocky road recently having lost seven of their last eight games, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-9 record this season. As for Riverdale, they now have a winning record of 10-9.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Cypress Lake and the Golden Eagles will face off at 7:30 p.m. on January 22nd without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. Naples is no doubt hoping to put an end to a three-game streak of away losses. As for Riverdale, they will look to defend their home court on Tuesday against the Red Knights at 7:30 p.m. North Fort Myers has now lost seven straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since December 8.
