Preview: Eureka Loggers vs. McKinleyville Panthers
Eureka and McKinleyville are an even 5-5 against one another since January of 2020, but not for long. The Eureka Loggers will look to defend their home court on Tuesday against the McKinleyville Panthers at 7:30 p.m. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this match.
Eureka unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Thursday. They took a 44-33 hit to the loss column at the hands of Arcata. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Eureka has scored all season.
The losing side was boosted by Michael Jewell, who scored ten points along with five rebounds. Another player making a difference was Julian Goodman, who scored six points along with six rebounds and two blocks.
Eureka struggled to work together and finished the game with only four assists. They were crushed by their opponents in that department as Arcata posted 11 assists.
Meanwhile, after a string of five wins, McKinleyville's good fortune finally ran out on Saturday. They took a 53-47 hit to the loss column at the hands of St. Bernard's.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Nick Maher, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and 13 rebounds. He hasn't dropped below eight rebounds for four straight games. Cole Armstrong was another key contributor, scoring eight points along with nine rebounds and four steals.
Eureka's defeat ended a four-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 12-7. As for McKinleyville, their defeat ended a four-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 14-7.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Eureka have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 28.7 rebounds per game. It's a different story for McKinleyville, though, as they've been averaging only 28 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Eureka beat McKinleyville 66-55 in their previous meeting back in December of 2023. Will Eureka repeat their success, or does McKinleyville have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
