Basketball Game Preview: Cromwell Cardinals vs. Barnum Bombers

Cromwell is 1-9 against Barnum since February of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Cromwell Cardinals will host the Barnum Bombers at 7:15 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both will really light up the scoreboard.

Cromwell is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They took their matchup on Tuesday with ease, bagging a 94-25 victory over Floodwood. The Cardinals have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five games by 21 points or more this season.

Cromwell's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Brady Dahl led the charge by going 9 of 15 on his way to 20 points and four steals. Dahl has been hot, having posted three or more steals the last five times he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Carson Hill, who went 6 of 10 on his way to 16 points and five rebounds.

Cromwell smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 14 consecutive contests dating back to last season.

Meanwhile, Barnum posted their closest win since March 4, 2024 on Monday. They skirted past Aitkin 71-68. Given the Bombers' advantage in MaxPreps' Minnesota basketball rankings (they are ranked 143rd, while the Gobblers are ranked 379th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Cromwell's victory bumped their record up to 6-2. As for Barnum, their win bumped their record up to 6-3.

Cromwell lost to Barnum at home by a decisive 78-59 margin when the teams last played back in January of 2024. Will Cromwell have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.