Basketball Game Preview: South Lenoir Blue Devils vs. Kinston Vikings

The South Lenoir Blue Devils are taking a road trip to take on the Kinston Vikings at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Having struggled with nine losses in a row dating back to last season, South Lenoir turned things around against Lejeune two weeks ago. They enjoyed a cozy 50-32 win over the Devil Pups. The Blue Devils' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.

South Lenoir's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Makenzie Herring, who posted 19 points and four steals. That makes it three consecutive games in which Herring has scored at least a third of South Lenoir's points. Gracie Tyndall was another key player, going 8 of 18 on her way to 16 points and six rebounds.

Meanwhile, Kinston put another one in the bag on Monday to keep their perfect season alive. They walked away with a 58-46 victory over Eastern Wayne. Given the Vikings' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 39th, while the Warriors are ranked 402nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

South Lenoir's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-7. As for Kinston, their victory bumped their record up to 9-0.

South Lenoir didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Kinston in their previous meeting back in February, but they still walked away with a 43-39 win. Will South Lenoir repeat their success, or does Kinston have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.