Basketball Game Preview: Anna-Jonesboro Wildcats vs. Benton Rangers

Anna-Jonesboro is 1-9 against Benton since November of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Anna-Jonesboro Wildcats will be playing at home against the Benton Rangers at 7:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, Anna-Jonesboro was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 58-52 to Harrisburg. While losing is never fun, the Wildcats can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 298th, while the Bulldogs are ranked 119th).

Meanwhile, Benton entered their tilt with Harrisburg on Tuesday with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. They walked away with a 47-34 win over the Bulldogs.

Benton's victory was their 11th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 21-2. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 60.9 points per game. As for Anna-Jonesboro, their loss dropped their record down to 10-13.

Anna-Jonesboro was taken down by Benton 73-33 in their previous meeting back in December of 2024. Will Anna-Jonesboro have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.