Basketball Game Preview: Southern Raiders vs. Johnson County Central Thunderbirds

The Southern Raiders will challenge the Johnson County Central Thunderbirds at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

On Saturday, Southern needed a bit of extra time to put away Wilber-Clatonia. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Wolverines, sneaking past 54-52. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Raiders have posted since February 9, 2024.

Meanwhile, Johnson County Central didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Wilber-Clatonia on Thursday, but they still walked away with a 56-51 victory.

Johnson County Central's win was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-3. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 58.5 points per game. As for Southern, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 5-6.

Southern and Johnson County Central were neck-and-neck in their previous meeting back in December of 2024, but Southern came up empty-handed after a 51-50 loss. Can Southern avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.