O'Neill is 1-9 against Wayne since December of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Saturday. The O'Neill Eagles will be playing in front of their home fans against the Wayne Blue Devils at 5:00 p.m.
Last Thursday, O'Neill might have been a little too into the holiday spirit, gifting Summerland [Clearwater/Ewing/Orchard] an easy 58-36 victory. The Eagles have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Despite their loss, O'Neill saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Porter Mathews, who posted seven points and six rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. The team also got some help courtesy of Trevor Alder, who had eight points and five rebounds.
Meanwhile, Wayne put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They managed a 66-62 win over West Point-Beemer. The Blue Devils' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Wayne's win came from a few key players O'Neill will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Gavin Redden, who went 7 of 12 on his way to 18 points. Those 18 points gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaden Keller, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 11 boards.
Wayne pushed their record up to 4-0 with the victory, which was their 15th straight at home dating back to last season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 59.9 points per game. As for O'Neill, they now have a losing record at 2-3.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: O'Neill has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Wayne struggles in that department as they've been averaging 26 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
O'Neill came up short against Wayne in their previous meeting back in December of 2023, falling 51-44. Will O'Neill have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other basketball content.
