The Riverdale Raiders pushed their score all the way to 62 on Tuesday, but even that wasn't enough to win. They lost to Mariner at home by a decisive 79-62 margin. Riverdale has struggled against Mariner recently, as their game on Tuesday was their fifth consecutive lost matchup.
Despite the loss, Riverdale had strong showings from Konnor Vonhagen, who dropped a double-double on 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Jamar Underwood, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 12 rebounds. That's the first time this season that Underwood scored 15 or more points. Another player making a difference was Framel Avila, who scored 11 points.
Mariner's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Marcus Kelley Jr, who scored 18 points along with seven rebounds. The matchup was Kelley Jr's fourth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Justin Lewis, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and ten assists.
Riverdale has been struggling recently, as they've lost three of their last four matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-4 record this season. As for Mariner, the victory got them back to even at 3-3.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Riverdale will take on Bonita Springs at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Bonita Springs is still on the hunt for that elusive first 'W'. As for Mariner, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Island Coast at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Island Coast will have to bring their A-game into this one, as they are staring down a pretty big deficit in the MaxPreps Florida Rankings (they are ranked 614th, while Mariner is ranked 132nd).
