Harnett Central hasn't had much luck against Terry Sanford recently, but that could start to change on Friday. After both having extra time off, the two teams will shake off the cobwebs and square off against one another at 7:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both will really light up the scoreboard.
Harnett Central fought the good fight in their overtime game against Avery County on December 14th but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell 70-62 to the Vikings. The Trojans have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Despite the defeat, Harnett Central got top-tier performance from Braydon Temple, who posted 20 points along with six boards and five assists. The team also got some help courtesy of DJ Brown, who had 12 points and four steals.
Even though they lost, Harnett Central smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive boards they've posted since back in November of 2023.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Terry Sanford, who bounced back after a loss on the road two weeks ago. They enjoyed a cozy 73-56 victory over Douglas Byrd last Friday.
Terry Sanford's win came from a few key players Harnett Central will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jamaal Miller, who went 6 of 11 on his way to 14 points in addition to five boards and three steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Mason Walker, who shot 5-for-8 from long range and dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten rebounds.
Harnett Central's loss dropped their record down to 6-3. As for Terry Sanford, the win got them back to even at 4-4.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Harnett Central has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 30.6 boards per game. However, it's not like Terry Sanford struggles in that department as they've been averaging 27 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Harnett Central suffered a grim 58-33 defeat to Terry Sanford when the teams last played back in February. Can Harnett Central avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
