The Carey Panthers scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Tuesday. They strolled past Mackay with points to spare, taking the game 66-51. That result was just more of the same for these two, as Carey also won the last time the pair played back in February of 2022.
Carey's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Preston Wood led the charge by scoring 22 points along with seven rebounds and five assists. That makes it eight consecutive games in which Wood has scored at least 25% of Carey's points. Another player making a difference was Stockton Sears, who scored 15 points along with four steals.
Despite the loss, Mackay had strong showings from Ruger Nicholls, who dropped a double-double on 27 points and 13 rebounds, and Kaizer Summers, who dropped a double-double on 21 points and 16 rebounds. The match was Summers' eighth in a row with at least ten points.
Even though they lost, Mackay were smashing the offensive glass and finished the game with 20 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Carey is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups, which provided a massive bump to their 6-4 record this season. As for Mackay, they are on a four-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 3-5.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Carey won't have much time to rest: their next match is against Lighthouse Christian at 7:30 p.m. on January 3rd. Lighthouse Christian will be looking to keep their four-game home win streak alive. Mackay's road trip will continue as they head out to face Clark County at 6:30 p.m. on January 5th. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Idaho (Clark County is ranked 154th, while Mackay is ranked 135th).
