Basketball Game Preview: James River Knights vs. Alleghany Cougars

James River and Alleghany are an even 5-5 against one another since January of 2019, but not for long. The James River Knights just played yesterday, but they'll still head out to face the Alleghany Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.

James River is headed into the game having just suffered their biggest defeat since January 26, 2024 on Wednesday. They were beaten by Floyd County 58-24. The matchup marked the Knights' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.

Meanwhile, Alleghany waltzed into their game on Friday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They snuck past the Bruins with a 51-45 win. Given the Cougars' advantage in MaxPreps' Virginia basketball rankings (they are ranked 103rd, while the Bruins are ranked 267th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Alleghany's victory bumped their record up to 6-3. As for James River, they now have a losing record at 6-7.

James River lost to Alleghany on the road by a decisive 55-36 margin in their previous matchup back in January of 2024. Can James River avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.