Basketball Game Preview: Leadore Mustangs vs. North Gem Cowboys

Leadore is 2-8 against North Gem since January of 2020 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Leadore Mustangs will host the North Gem Cowboys at 6:00 p.m. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.

Leadore is headed into the match out to prove that what happened against Challis on Wednesday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Leadore was outmatched by Challis and fell 61-32. The Mustangs were down 47-24 at the end of the third quarter, and things only got worse from there.

Despite the defeat, Leadore saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Dane Piippo posted nine points in addition to seven rebounds and four blocks. Piippo has been hot for a while, having also posted two or more steals the last ten times he's played. Jared Ramsey was another key player, putting up six points and six boards.

Meanwhile, North Gem was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their fourth straight loss. They took a hard 41-23 fall against Mackay. While the Cowboys didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Miners 12-8 in the first quarter.

North Gem's defeat dropped their record down to 6-12. As for Leadore, their loss dropped their record down to 7-11.

Everything came up roses for Leadore against North Gem in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, as the team secured a 59-32 win. Will Leadore repeat their success, or does North Gem have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.