Preview: E.E. Smith Golden Bulls vs. Western Harnett Eagles
E.E. Smith is 6-0 against Western Harnett since January of 2022, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The E.E. Smith Golden Bulls will be playing in front of their home fans against the Western Harnett Eagles at 7:30 p.m. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
E.E. Smith fought the good fight in their overtime contest against Pine Forest on Tuesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell to the Trojans 56-52.
Despite the defeat, E.E. Smith had strong showings from Asany Richmond, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Tre Williams, who scored 19 points along with three steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Williams has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Johnathan Williams, who scored five points along with two steals and two blocks.
Meanwhile, sadly, Western Harnett is still looking for their first win of the season after 21 contests. The game between them and Chatham Central wasn't particularly close, with Western Harnett falling 53-39. While losing is never fun, Western Harnett can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 618th, while Chatham Central is ranked 179th).
E.E. Smith has not been sharp recently as the team's lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-10 record this season. As for Western Harnett, their defeat was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season, which dropped their record down to 0-21.
Everything came up roses for E.E. Smith against Western Harnett in their previous matchup back in January as the squad secured a 68-40 win. Does E.E. Smith have another victory up their sleeve, or will Western Harnett turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
