Palmetto is 5-0 against Hardee since November of 2019, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. Having just played yesterday, the Palmetto Tigers will get right back to it and host the Hardee Wildcats at 6:00 p.m. on January 18th. Palmetto is coming into the game on a four-game losing streak.
Palmetto suffered their biggest loss since December 14, 2023 on Wednesday. They ended up on the wrong side of a tough 54-30 walloping at the hands of Parrish Community. While losing is never fun, Palmetto can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 264th, while Parrish Community is ranked 94th).
Meanwhile, Hardee's four-game losing streak came to an end on Tuesday. They walked away with a 31-19 win over Frostproof. The victory was just what Hardee needed coming off of a 42-21 loss in their prior match.
Hardee found their leader in underclassman Tylia Graham, who scored 18 points along with nine rebounds and eight steals. That's the first time this season that Graham scored 15 or more points. Another player making a difference was Rihanna Frederick, who scored nine points along with five steals.
Palmetto has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost six of their last seven matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-8 record this season. As for Hardee, their win bumped their record up to 3-9.
Palmetto took their win against Hardee when the teams last played back in December of 2023 by a conclusive 45-23. Will Palmetto repeat their success, or does Hardee have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
