Basketball Game Preview: New Madrid County Central Eagles vs. Cairo Pilots

New Madrid County Central is 6-0 against Cairo since November of 2014 and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The New Madrid County Central Eagles will head out on the road to take on the Cairo Pilots at 7:30 p.m. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.

New Madrid County Central is headed into Friday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fourth straight game on Tuesday. They had to suffer through a 88-35 loss at the hands of Charleston. The Eagles were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 40-19.

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Ra'Mond Brooks, who posted seven points in addition to 12 rebounds and three blocks. He is on a roll when it comes to boards, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last seven games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of JG Harris, who scored nine points.

Meanwhile, after a string of four wins, Cairo's good fortune finally ran out on Wednesday. They were dealt a 92-45 loss at the hands of Benton. While losing is never fun, the Pilots can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 413th, while the Rangers are ranked 14th).

Cairo's defeat dropped their record down to 8-7. As for New Madrid County Central, their loss dropped their record down to 2-11.

Everything came up roses for New Madrid County Central against Cairo when the teams last played back in February of 2024, as the squad secured an 89-49 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for New Madrid County Central since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.