Basketball Game Preview: Douglas Byrd Eagles vs. Lumberton Pirates

Douglas Byrd is 0-9 against Lumberton since December of 2014 but things could change on Friday. The Douglas Byrd Eagles will head out to take on the Lumberton Pirates at 7:30 p.m.

Douglas Byrd is headed into Friday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 13th straight game on Wednesday. They were outmatched by Lumberton and fell 75-40. While losing is never fun, the Eagles can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 596th, while the Pirates are ranked 103rd).

Douglas Byrd better keep an eye on Jaiden Shephard. He was instrumental in Lumberton's win, going 5 for 6 on his way to 14 points in addition to eight rebounds and three steals. Shephard is on a roll when it comes to boards, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last 43 games he's played dating back to last season. Nate Lawson was another key player, putting up 11 points.

Lumberton smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 15 consecutive games.

Lumberton has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 14 of their last 15 contests, which provided a nice bump to their 17-3 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 63.0 points per game. As for Douglas Byrd, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-14.