Basketball Game Preview: Willis Wildkats vs. The Woodlands Highlanders

Willis hasn't had much luck against The Woodlands recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Willis Wildkats will be playing at home against The Woodlands Highlanders at 1:00 p.m. Willis will be strutting in after a victory while The Woodlands will be coming in after a loss.

Last Tuesday, Willis earned a 71-58 win over Caney Creek. Given the Wildkats' advantage in MaxPreps' Texas basketball rankings (they are ranked 410th, while the Panthers are ranked 1047th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Willis to victory, but perhaps none more so than SJ Young, who almost dropped a double-double on 19 points and nine rebounds. Young is on a roll when it comes to boards, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last five games he's played. Chandler Beasley was another key player, going 6 for 14 en route to 15 points and five steals.

Willis 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 nine offensive boards in four consecutive matchups.

Meanwhile, The Woodlands was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They took a 64-54 hit to the loss column at the hands of Grand Oaks.

The Woodlands' loss dropped their record down to 11-13. As for Willis, their victory ended a five-game drought on the road and puts them at 14-9.

Willis didn't have too much breathing room in their game against The Woodlands in their previous matchup back in November of 2024, but they still walked away with a 49-43 win. Will Willis repeat their success, or does The Woodlands have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.