Preview: Hi-Plains Patriots vs. Cheyenne Wells Tigers
Hi-Plains has enjoyed a seven-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will challenge the Cheyenne Wells Tigers at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both teams come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Hi-Plains scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Saturday. They blew past Miami-Yoder 57-37. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win Hi-Plains has posted since December 8, 2023.
Hi-Plains' win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Bex Seaman, who dropped a double-double on 20 points and 11 rebounds. That makes it three consecutive games in which Seaman has scored at least a third of Hi-Plains' points. The team also got some help courtesy of Hugo Vara, who scored 17 points along with nine rebounds and four steals.
Meanwhile, Cheyenne Wells waltzed into their matchup on Tuesday with eight straight wins but they left with nine. They blew past Greeley County, posting a 53-22 victory at home. Given Cheyenne Wells' advantage in MaxPreps's basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 41st in Colorado, while Greeley County is ranked 292nd in Kansas), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Cheyenne Wells can attribute much of their success to Carson Noe, who scored 14 points along with four steals and three blocks, and Corey Hill, who dropped a double-double on 20 points and 13 rebounds. Hill is absolutely dominating the rebound category: he's posted at least eight every time he's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Bryson Hyle, who scored eight points.
Hi-Plains' record is now 3-9. As for Cheyenne Wells, their victory was their tenth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-2.
Saturday's matchup will pit two of the most dominant against one another: Seaman and Hill. Seaman has been dynamite this season: he has averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 steals, and 8.2 rebounds. For his part, Hill has averaged 17.4 points and 13.3 rebounds.
Hi-Plains ended up a good deal behind Cheyenne Wells in their previous meeting back in January of 2023, losing 53-34. Can Hi-Plains avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
