Basketball Game Preview: Dugger Union Bulldogs vs. Oblong/Hutsonville/Palestine

Dugger Union hasn't had much luck against Oblong/Hutsonville/Palestine recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Dugger Union Bulldogs will challenge Oblong/Hutsonville/Palestine at 6:30 p.m. Oblong/Hutsonville/Palestine took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Dugger Union, who comes in off a win.

Dugger Union took a loss when they played away from home last Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Saturday. They were the clear victor by a 42-22 margin over Washington Catholic. The squad ran away with 30 points in the first half and mostly just sat on those to pick up the victory.

Jordyn Smith and Sage Stahl were among the main playmakers for Dugger Union as the former went 6 for 15 on her way to 16 points in addition to seven steals and five assists and the latter dropped a double-double on 14 points and 16 boards. Stahl has been hot for a while, having posted eight or more boards the last 11 times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Arianna Frazee, who posted seven points and nine rebounds.

Dugger Union smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in five consecutive matches.

Meanwhile, Oblong/Hutsonville/Palestine came up short against Hoopeston on Saturday and fell 41-30.

Oblong/Hutsonville/Palestine's defeat was their fourth straight on the road, which dropped their record down to 6-10. As for Dugger Union, their win bumped their record up to 4-8.

Dugger Union came up short against Oblong/Hutsonville/Palestine in their previous matchup back in November of 2024, falling 42-34. Can Dugger Union avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.