The North Fort Myers Red Knights just played yesterday, but they'll still head out to face the Dunbar Tigers at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. North Fort Myers' defense has only allowed 28.6 points per game this season, so Dunbar's offense will have their work cut out for them.
On Thursday, North Fort Myers was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 43-38 to North Port.
Kelley Conley
| 01/30/25 @ North Port | 11 |
| 01/21/25 vs Estero | 4 |
| 01/16/25 @ Gateway | 4 |
| 01/14/25 vs Estero | 4 |
| 01/24/25 @ Island Coast | 3 |
Despite the loss, North Fort Myers saw an underclassman step up: freshman Kelley Conley posted 11 points and five boards. Those 11 points set a new season-high mark for Conley. The team also got some help courtesy of Bianca Iten, who put up four points along with six rebounds and five steals.
Even though they lost, North Fort Myers smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 35 consecutive matches dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Dunbar played a tough game on Tuesday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They had to suffer through a 59-18 loss at the hands of Lely. The Tigers were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 46-9.
North Fort Myers will have to keep a close watch on Tatiana Jean-Simon and Arnya Jackson, a pair of players who had a big impact on Dunbar's prior game. Jean-Simon earned two points in addition to four blocks and three steals, while Jackson had three points and three blocks. Those three blocks gave Jackson a new career-high. Trinity Salines also deserves some recognition as she posted her first block of the season.
Dunbar's defeat dropped their record down to 9-12. As for North Fort Myers, their loss dropped their record down to 18-4.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: North Fort Myers has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 38 boards per game. However, it's not like Dunbar struggles in that department as they've been averaging 37.7 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything went North Fort Myers' way against Dunbar in their previous matchup back in January of 2024, as North Fort Myers made off with a 41-19 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for North Fort Myers since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
