Preview: Van Wert Cougars vs. Paulding Panthers
The Van Wert Cougars will be playing at home against the Paulding Panthers at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Van Wert is out to stop a four-game streak of losses at home.
Last Thursday, Van Wert came up short against Wapakoneta and fell 45-33.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Kendra Deehring, who scored 12 points along with four steals. Amaya Dowdy was another key contributor, scoring nine points along with five rebounds.
Paulding suffered their biggest defeat yet this season on Thursday. Their rough 56-36 loss to Ayersville might stick with them for a while. While losing is never fun, Paulding can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Ohio basketball rankings (they are ranked 346th, while Ayersville is ranked 67th).
Despite the loss, Paulding saw an underclassman step up: Kayleigh Dunham scored seven points along with seven rebounds and two blocks. Another player making a difference was Ameah Carr, who scored six points.
Van Wert has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost six of their last seven contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-10 record this season. As for Paulding, they now have a losing record at 4-5.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Van Wert have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 20.5 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Paulding struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 30.4 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything came up roses for Van Wert against Paulding in their previous matchup back in January of 2023 as the team secured a 63-26 victory. Does Van Wert have another victory up their sleeve, or will Paulding turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
