Preview: Lincolnton Wolves vs. Bunker Hill Bears
Lincolnton is 10-0 against Bunker Hill since January of 2016, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Lincolnton Wolves will be home for the holidays to greet the Bunker Hill Bears at 8:00 p.m. Lincolnton knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with flashy point totals in its past six matchups -- so hopefully Bunker Hill likes a good challenge.
Winning is just a little bit easier when you outrebound your opponent 21 to 5 on the offensive boards, a fact Lincolnton proved on Tuesday. They were the clear victor by a 65-40 margin over Cherryville. Given Lincolnton's advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 45th, while Cherryville is ranked 249th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Lincolnton's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Lj Smith, who scored 16 points, and Landen Lyerly, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 12 rebounds. The game was Smith's sixth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Cameron Smith, who scored eight points along with six rebounds.
Meanwhile, Bunker Hill had to endure a six-game losing streak dating back to last season, but that streak is no more. They came out on top against West Iredell by a score of 63-55 on Wednesday. That looming 63-55 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Bunker Hill yet this season.
Lincolnton pushed their record up to 6-0 with that win, which was their third straight on the road. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 73.3 points per game. As for Bunker Hill, their victory ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 1-5.
Lincolnton was able to grind out a solid win over Bunker Hill in their previous matchup back in February, winning 66-59. Will Lincolnton repeat their success, or does Bunker Hill have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
