Sumner is 4-0 against Riverview since February of 2021, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. The Sumner Stingrays will be playing in front of their home fans against the Riverview Sharks at 7:00 p.m. Sumner has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.
It may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Sumner ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They skirted past Tampa Bay Tech 60-57. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
Sumner's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jabory Nelson, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 13 rebounds. It was the first time this season that Nelson scored 15 or more points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jacob Douglas, who scored 20 points along with six rebounds and four steals.
Meanwhile, it can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Riverview had no problem doing just that on Tuesday. They took down the Chargers 72-54. Riverview's offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Bryson Kearney was his usual excellent self, scoring 32 points. Elijah Gilroy was another key contributor, scoring nine points.
Sumner's win bumped their record up to 16-9. As for Riverview, their victory bumped their record up to 4-18.
Keep an eye on the arc in Thursday's contest: Sumner have been dynamite from deep this season, having made 42.4% of their threes per game. It's a different story for Riverview, though, as they've only made 16.1% of their threes this season. Given Sumner's sizable advantage in that area, Riverview will need to find a way to close that gap.
Sumner strolled past Riverview in their previous matchup back in December of 2023 by a score of 67-49. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Kearney, who scored 23 points along with five steals and four blocks. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Sumner still be able to contain Kearney? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
