OLIVE-HARVEY HOSTS RICHARD J DALEY IN REGION IV REMATCH

CHICAGO (Interstat) — A surging Olive-Harvey men’s basketball team will look to avenge its lone region loss and continue its dominant season when it hosts Richard J Daley on Thursday night.

The Panthers (16-3), ranked among the nation’s top NJCAA Division II teams, have won four straight since a Jan. 29 setback, including a 75-59 road victory at Wilbur Wright on Saturday. Their only Region IV defeat came at the hands of these same Bulldogs, 68-67, on Jan. 22 in a game decided by a single point.

Olive-Harvey is led by standout guard Terrence Shannon, who enters on a hot streak. Over his last four games, Shannon is averaging 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per contest. He posted 28 points, six rebounds and five assists in an overtime win over Kankakee on Feb. 19.

The visiting Bulldogs (5-14) have struggled for consistency but are coming off their most impressive performance of the season, an 84-55 rout of Wilbur Wright on Feb. 19. That victory snapped a two-game skid and demonstrated the potential that allowed them to edge Olive-Harvey last month.

In the first meeting, Richard J Daley overcame a 31-point effort from Shannon to secure the narrow home win. Replicating that defensive effort on the road will be a primary challenge against a deep Panthers squad that features multiple scoring threats. Lawrence Etling Jr. (19 points) and Isaiah Martinez (11 points, 9 rebounds) were key contributors in Olive-Harvey’s latest win.

The Bulldogs have shown flashes, with wins in three of their last six games, but have yet to win consecutive contests since early January. Containing Shannon and managing the Panthers’ offensive tempo will be critical to pulling another upset.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST at Olive-Harvey College. The Panthers sit atop the region standings, while the Bulldogs seek to improve their postseason positioning with a season sweep of the region leader.