The Patriot Pioneers proved they can win big last Wednesday (they won by 30) but on Saturday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 74-71 victory over Evergreen Christian. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory Patriot has posted yet this season.
Despite the loss, Evergreen Christian had strong showings from Matthew Shelton, who scored 21 points along with eight assists and five rebounds, and Rodney Ekwoanya, who dropped a double-double on 18 points and 19 rebounds. Shelton is on a roll when it comes to points, as he's now scored 15 or more in the last eight games he's played. Zach Cook was another key contributor, scoring nine points.
Patriot has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven contests, which provided a nice bump to their 11-4 record this season. As for Evergreen Christian, their loss dropped their record down to 16-6.
Patriot will head out on the road to face off against Forest Park at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Virginia (Forest Park is ranked 41st, while Patriot is ranked 59th). Evergreen Christian on the road again on Monday and play against Covenant Christian Academy at 4:45 p.m. on January 22nd. Covenant Christian Academy is coming into the match on a three-game losing streak.
