Basketball Game Preview: Lakeside Vikings vs. Woodward Academy War Eagles

For the first time this season, Lakeside will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will take on the Woodward Academy War Eagles at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Lakeside took a loss when they played away from home on Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They breezed past Stone Mountain to the tune of 80-48. That 32 point margin sets a new team best for the Vikings this season.

Meanwhile, Woodward Academy was able to grind out a solid victory over Westlake last Saturday, taking the game 73-62.

Woodward Academy's win came from a few key players Lakeside will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jarvis Hayes Jr., who shot 56% from the field to rack up 26 points along with five rebounds and four steals. That's the most points he has posted since back in January. The team also got some help courtesy of Myles Hayes, who went 5-for-10 en route to 15 points in addition to seven boards and five steals.

Lakeside's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 3-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 72.7 points over those games. As for Woodward Academy, their win bumped their record up to 1-0.

Lakeside lost to Woodward Academy on the road by a decisive 66-47 margin in their previous matchup back in January. Can the Vikings avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.