Basketball Game Preview: Benjamin Mustangs vs. Woodson Cowboys

The Benjamin Mustangs and the Woodson Cowboys will round out the year against one another at at 10:30 a.m. on Friday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Benjamin has struggled recently with five defeats in a row, while Woodson will arrive with seven straight wins.

Benjamin saw some tournament action last Saturday. They fell 48-41 to Hamlin.

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Keegan Hayes, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 14 rebounds. Hayes is crushing it when it comes to rebounds: he's pulled down at least eight every time he's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Everett Cates, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and ten rebounds.

Meanwhile, Woodson was able to grind out a solid victory over Midway on Tuesday, taking the game 40-32.

Woodson's win came from a few key players Benjamin will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Caleb Valentic, who posted eight points in addition to six rebounds and five steals. Woodson is 8-2 when Valentic posts three or more steals, but 1-2 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Peyton Malcuit, who had two points in addition to eight boards and five steals.

Benjamin's loss dropped their record down to 0-4. As for Woodson, they pushed their record up to 9-4 with the win, which was their third straight at home.

Benjamin came out on top in a nail-biter against Woodson when the teams last played back in January of 2017, sneaking past 42-39. Will Benjamin repeat their success, or does Woodson have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.