Basketball Game Preview: West Carteret Patriots vs. Jacksonville Cardinals

The West Carteret Patriots will face off against the Jacksonville Cardinals at 8:30 p.m. on Monday. The timing is sure in West Carteret's favor as the squad sits on four straight wins at home while Jacksonville has been banged up by five consecutive losses on the road dating back to last season.

Last Tuesday, West Carteret was able to grind out a solid win over New Bern, taking the game 56-45. Given the Patriots' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 149th, while the Bears are ranked 322nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

West Carteret got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Nehemiah Hester out in front who went 6 of 13 en route to 12 points along with seven assists and seven boards. Hester has been hot recently, having also posted two or more steals the last three times he's played. Another player making a difference was Jack Bell, who posted 11 points and four steals.

West Carteret smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 21 consecutive games dating back to last season.

Meanwhile, Jacksonville was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Monday as they fell 67-61 to White Oak.

West Carteret's win bumped their record up to 6-2. As for Jacksonville, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-5.

West Carteret might still be hurting after the 80-58 loss they got from Jacksonville in their previous matchup back in February of 2024. Will West Carteret have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.