Looking to stay perfect during their homestand, the Mustang boys played host to the Brentsville Tigers for a Tuesday night showdown. The JV team opened up the evening with a 43-32 win, and then Isaac Rosenberg got the Varsity game off to a quick start with a bucket on Meridian’s opening possession. Brentsville scored the next four points to take the lead, but then Daylen Martino hit a three-pointer and Wyatt Trundle made a layup to put the Mustangs ahead 7-4, and by the end of the first quarter they’d expanded their advantage to 25-15 thanks to some red hot shooting from deep. However, starter Jarrett Jardine was injured after scoring on a putback and would not return to the game.
The Tigers refused to go away as they scored the second quarter’s first five points and stayed within single digits for most of the half, but Meridian was able to pull away for a 40-29 advantage at the break. The second half began with Trundle shooting two technical free throws, and he scored six points by himself in the opening minute to give the Mustangs their biggest lead of the night. It only grew from there as Meridian used an extended 24-5 run over the course of the third quarter to erase any doubt, and as the reserves played most of the final period, the home team was able to coast to the 75-45 victory.
Four Mustangs scored in double figures, led by 21 from Trundle and 17 from Will Davis off the bench, as the team moved to 14-6 on the year and 8-1 ever since the start of conference play. However, on Friday they will face the same Skyline team that boat-raced them 69-34 back on January 24th.
“We’ll need to take care of the ball better,” said head coach Jim Smith in regard to how his Mustangs can learn from their previous matchup against Skyline. “I felt like we were a bit intimidated last time, we need to play with confidence.”
It will be a challenge, to say the least. But it’ll also be a golden opportunity for a statement win, and they’ll have the home crowd on their side.
