Basketball Game Preview: Bogalusa Lumberjacks vs. Springfield Bulldogs

The Bogalusa Lumberjacks will square off against the Springfield Bulldogs at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Bogalusa has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the contest with five straight losses, while Springfield will come in with three straight victories.

Last Wednesday, Bogalusa was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 34-29 to St. Helena College and Career Academy.

Meanwhile, Springfield was able to grind out a solid win over South Terrebonne on Friday, taking the game 60-52.

Bogalusa better keep an eye on Nickaiya Martin. She was instrumental in Springfield's win, going 8 for 15 on her way to 18 points along with seven boards and six blocks. Martin has been hot for a while, having also posted two or more steals the last 12 times she's played. Another player making a difference was Raylan Smith, who went 5 of 12 en route to 11 points in addition to six rebounds and four steals.

Springfield smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive boards in three consecutive matchups.

Springfield's victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-7. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 58.3 points per game. As for Bogalusa, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-6.

Bogalusa didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Springfield in their previous matchup back in December of 2017, but they still walked away with a 45-41 win. Does Bogalusa have another victory up their sleeve, or will Springfield turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.