Basketball Game Preview: Riverton Parke Panthers vs. North Central Thunderbirds

The Riverton Parke Panthers will face off against the North Central Thunderbirds at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.

North Central better have a healthy lead at halftime, because if last week is any indication, that's when Riverton Parke really get things going. Riverton Parke blew past Attica 47-26 on Friday.

Riverton Parke's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Corinne Loomis, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and 14 boards. Loomis continues to improve, besting her previous point total in each of the last four games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Haylee Mathas, who went 5 of 10 on her way to 14 points and four steals.

Meanwhile, everything came up roses for North Central against Martinsville on Saturday as the team secured a 73-21 victory. The Thunderbirds have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 11 contests by 25 points or more this season.

Riverton Parke better keep an eye on Jalyn Davidson. She was instrumental in North Central's win, almost dropping a double-double on 25 points and nine steals. Davidson's evening made it five games in a row in which she has scored at least ten points. Shelby Seay was another key player, almost dropping a double-double on 15 points and nine assists.

Riverton Parke's win bumped their record up to 10-7. As for North Central, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 17-3.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Riverton Parke has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 31.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like North Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging 27.4 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Riverton Parke was dealt a bruising 63-19 defeat at the hands of North Central when the teams last played back in January of 2024. Will Riverton Parke have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.