Countryside is 4-0 against Hollins since November of 2019, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Monday. The pair will face off at 7:45 p.m. on January 22nd without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Countryside has three straight victories, Hollins has four straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Countryside can now show off seven landslide victories after their most recent matchup on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Shorecrest Prep 49-13 at home. Given Countryside's advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 174th, while Shorecrest Prep is ranked 617th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Ally Wright was her usual excellent self, scoring 25 points along with six rebounds and four steals. That makes it six consecutive games in which she has scored at least a third of Countryside's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Samantha Fernandez, who scored 12 points along with six rebounds.
Hollins lost a heartbreaker when they last took the court, but unfortunately for them the loss they were handed on on Friday was a bit more commanding. They ended up on the wrong side of a rough 48-24 walloping at the hands of Palm Harbor University. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat Hollins has suffered since November 29, 2023.
Despite the defeat, Hollins had strong showings from Summer Morgan, who scored six points, and Destini Solomon, who scored eight points along with four steals.
Countryside's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-4. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 54.6 points per game. As for Hollins, their loss dropped their record down to 2-12.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Countryside have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 34.1 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Hollins, though, as they've been averaging only 28.1 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything came up roses for Countryside against Hollins in their previous matchup back in December of 2022 as the squad secured a 71-3 win. With Countryside ahead 49-0 at the half, the game was all but over already.
