Basketball Game Preview: Andrews Wildcats vs. Hayesville Yellowjackets

Andrews is 0-10 against Hayesville since February of 2021 but things could change on Tuesday. The Andrews Wildcats will challenge the Hayesville Yellowjackets at 4:00 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Last Thursday, even if it wasn't a dominant performance, Andrews beat Murphy 47-42. The win continues a trend for the Wildcats in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now won four in a row.

Meanwhile, Hayesville had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 12 points) and they went ahead and made it six on Saturday. They took their match with ease, bagging a 46-18 victory over the Maroon Devils. Given the Yellowjackets' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 240th, while the Maroon Devils are ranked 482nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Andrews better keep an eye on Ava Shook. She was instrumental in Hayesville's win, going 5-for-12 to rack up 17 points and eight steals. Shook has become a key player for Hayesville: the team is 10-3 when she posts at least three steals, but 5-7 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Breanna Abrams, who posted eight points and six boards.

Hayesville smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive boards in three consecutive games.

Andrews pushed their record up to 12-10 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 56.3 points over those games. As for Hayesville, their record is now 15-10.

Andrews came up short against Hayesville when the teams last played last Friday, falling 46-34. Can Andrews avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.