Basketball Game Preview: Eastside Eagles vs. James F. Byrnes Rebels

Two dominant guards in Thomas Rouse and Colt Fowler are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Eastside Eagles will host the James F. Byrnes Rebels at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Eastside is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 55 points per game this season.

Eastside came up short against Dorman on Friday, falling 67-42. While losing is never fun, the Eagles can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' South Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 101st, while the Cavaliers are ranked ninth).

Carter Driscoll

Steals (Career)

01/17/25 @ Dorman	2
01/13/25 vs Woodmont	1
12/27/24 vs Fountain Inn	1
12/26/24 vs North Augusta	1
12/12/24 vs Greenville	1

Despite their loss, Eastside saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Carter Driscoll, who posted 12 points, was perhaps the best of all. The dominant performance also gave Driscoll a new career-high in steals (two). Roman Ruggiero was another key player, putting up seven points.

Meanwhile, James F. Byrnes put another one in the bag on Thursday to keep their perfect season alive. They snuck past Riverside with an 85-81 victory.

James F. Byrnes' win was their ninth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 19-0. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 82.9 points per game. As for Eastside, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-12 record this season.

Eastside lost to James F. Byrnes at home by a decisive 76-57 margin in their previous matchup back in December of 2024. Will Eastside have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.