Basketball Game Preview: Plainfield South Cougars vs. Joliet West Tigers

Plainfield South hasn't had much luck against Joliet West recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. A feisty cat fight is on tap when the Plainfield South Cougars take on the Joliet West Tigers at 6:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.

Having struggled with five losses in a row, Plainfield South turned things around against Romeoville on Thursday. They snuck past the Spartans with a 66-60 victory.

Tierra Abner and Layla Lesure were among the main playmakers for Plainfield South as the former posted 21 points in addition to five assists and five rebounds and the latter dropped a double-double on 15 points and 17 boards. The matchup was Lesure's sixth in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was La'Niya Willis, who had nine points along with five assists and five rebounds.

Plainfield South smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 12 consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Joliet West scored the most points they've had this season on Saturday, but it wasn't enough. The game between them and Normal Community didn't end well, with Joliet West falling 75-58. The Tigers have struggled against the Ironmen recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.

Joliet West's defeat dropped their record down to 4-19. As for Plainfield South, their win ended a five-game drought on the road and puts them at 10-16.

Plainfield South didn't have too much breathing room in their matchup against Joliet West in their previous meeting back in December of 2024, but they still walked away with a 54-50 victory. Will Plainfield South repeat their success, or does Joliet West have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.