The Smithfield-Selma Spartans will challenge the Triton Hawks at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Smithfield-Selma is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 51.7 points per game this season.
Last Monday, Smithfield-Selma wound up with the same score they had in their last game (63-49), but sadly the team found themselves on the wrong side of the score this time. While losing is never fun, they can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 216th, while the Trojans are ranked 66th).
| 12/09/24 vs Harnett Central | 9 |
| 11/22/24 @ North Johnston | 8 |
| 12/04/24 @ Harnett Central | 6 |
| 11/15/24 vs Triton | 6 |
| 01/25/24 @ East Wake | 5 |
Despite the defeat, Smithfield-Selma had strong showings from Noah Jeter, who posted nine points, and Khalil Smith, who earned six points. Those nine points gave Jeter a new career-high.
Meanwhile, Triton came tearing into Tuesday's match with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 25.8 points) and they left with even more momentum. They came out on top against the Bulldogs by a score of 72-60.
Triton's win came from a few key players Smithfield-Selma will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Ahmad Morris, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and 12 boards. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 8.4 rebounds per game. Another player making a difference was Ro'Mello Pegues, who went 8 of 16 on his way to 19 points and six rebounds.
Triton's win bumped their record up to 6-1. As for Smithfield-Selma, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-4 record this season.
Thursday's game is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Smithfield-Selma just can't miss this season, having drained 54% of their shots per game. However, it's not like Triton struggles in that department as they've nailed 53.1% of their field goals this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Smithfield-Selma came up short against Triton when the teams last played back in November, falling 73-66. Can Smithfield-Selma avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
