Basketball Preview: Plattsmouth Blue Devils vs. Arlington Eagles
The Plattsmouth Blue Devils will head out on the road to challenge the Arlington Eagles at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.
Last Friday, Plattsmouth had to suffer through a rough 62-34 loss at the hands of the Mustangs. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Plattsmouth in their matchups with the Mustangs: they've now lost four in a row.
Despite their defeat, Plattsmouth saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Gage Olsen, who scored 12 points, was perhaps the best of all. Derek Nanke was another key contributor, scoring five points.
Meanwhile, Arlington's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Monday after their fifth straight loss. They were dealt a 63-30 defeat at the hands of North Bend Central. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Arlington has scored all season.
Despite the loss, Arlington got a solid performance out of Trent Koger, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and 14 rebounds. Koger is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last ten games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Jaxson Burns, who scored seven points along with six rebounds.
Plattsmouth's loss dropped their record down to 5-12. As for Arlington, they have been struggling recently as they've lost six of their last eight games, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-11 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Plattsmouth have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 23.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Arlington struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.1 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Plattsmouth skirted past the Eagles 44-42 when the teams last played back in February of 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for Plattsmouth since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
