The Dexter Tigers will take on the Mattanawcook Lynx in a holiday battle at at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. Both teams are still undefeated (Dexter has four wins , while Mattanawcook has five dating back to last season).
While Dexter didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-12), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They managed a 38-34 victory over Penobscot Valley on Friday.
Dexter got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Bryce Cooper out in front who posted 11 points in addition to five rebounds and five steals. Another player making a difference was Ethan Doherty, who had 12 points and six rebounds.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Mattanawcook). They blew past Penquis Valley 78-41 on Saturday. The Lynx have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three matches by 24 points or more this season.
Mattanawcook's win came from a few key players Dexter will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Andrew Oliver, who went 6 of 9 on his way to 15 points along with five boards and five steals. He is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed three or more in the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of True Weatherbee, who went 9 of 11 on his way to 21 points and five rebounds.
Dexter pushed their record up to 4-0 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 54.0 points per game. As for Mattanawcook, their win bumped their record up to 5-0.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Dexter has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 28.8 boards per game. However, it's not like Mattanawcook struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Dexter came up short against Mattanawcook in their previous matchup back in January, falling 81-74. Can Dexter avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
