Preview: Oxford Prep Griffins vs. Eno River Bobcats
The Oxford Prep Griffins will head out on the road to challenge the Eno River Bobcats at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Hopefully Oxford Prep focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 14 on Friday.
Oxford Prep pushed their score all the way to 56, but even that wasn't enough to win. They took a 64-56 hit to the loss column at the hands of Vance Charter. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Oxford Prep in their matchups with Vance Charter: they've now lost five in a row.
The losing side was boosted by AleYaun Heggie, who scored 28 points along with eight rebounds and three steals. He hasn't dropped below eight rebounds for 17 straight games. Another player making a difference was Justin Thomas, who scored 11 points.
Meanwhile, it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Eno River ultimately got the result they hoped for on Tuesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Roxboro Community and snuck past 74-72. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
Wade Clough had an outrageously good game as he scored 22 points along with three steals. Cole Creedle was another key contributor, scoring 12 points along with six rebounds and three blocks.
Oxford Prep has been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 15-7 record this season. As for Eno River, the win makes it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 8-13.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Oxford Prep have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 34.4 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Eno River struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30.7 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Oxford Prep took their victory against Eno River when the teams last played back in January by a conclusive 61-35. The rematch might be a little tougher for Oxford Prep since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
