Basketball Game Preview: Central Dauphin Rams vs. Carlisle Thundering Herd

Central Dauphin has gone 8-2 against Carlisle recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Central Dauphin Rams will venture away from home to take on the Carlisle Thundering Herd at 7:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Central Dauphin took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They were the clear victor by a 69-49 margin over Central Dauphin East. Given the Rams' advantage in MaxPreps' Pennsylvania basketball rankings (they are ranked seventh, while the Panthers are ranked 432nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Central Dauphin's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Wayne Fletcher II, who went 8 for 14 en route to 24 points and seven boards. The game was Fletcher II's seventh in a row with at least ten points. Shakur Starling was another key player, going 5 of 11 on his way to 13 points along with six rebounds and five assists.

Meanwhile, Carlisle hadn't done well against Cumberland Valley recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. Carlisle took their match with ease, bagging a 60-33 victory over Cumberland Valley.

Central Dauphin pushed their record up to 12-2 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. As for Carlisle, they have also been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six contests, which provided a nice bump to their 8-4 record this season.

Central Dauphin barely slipped by Carlisle in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, winning 67-66. The rematch might be a little tougher for Central Dauphin since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.