Preview: Maplesville Red Devils vs. Billingsley Bears
Maplesville is 9-1 against Billingsley since February of 2016, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Maplesville Red Devils just played last night, but they'll still head out to face the Billingsley Bears at 6:30 p.m. on January 19th.
On Thursday, Maplesville came up short against Thorsby and fell 41-32. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Maplesville has scored all season.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Jakobe Nix, who scored 11 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jonathan Wilson, who scored nine points along with eight rebounds.
Meanwhile, Billingsley had to endure a three-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They were the clear victor by a 55-33 margin over Verbena. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory Billingsley has posted yet this season.
Billingsley found their leader in underclassman Kyle Boice, who scored 15 points along with five rebounds and two steals. Another player making a difference was Danny Boice, who scored nine points along with seven rebounds and two blocks.
This is the second loss in a row for Maplesville and nudges their season record down to 6-5. As for Billingsley, their win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 4-10.
Friday's match is shaping up to be a scrappy game: Maplesville have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 26.2 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Billingsley, though, as they've been averaging only 24.9 rebounds per game. Given Maplesville's sizeable advantage in that area, Billingsley will need to find a way to close that gap.
Maplesville barely slipped by Billingsley in their previous meeting back in December of 2023, winning 49-48. The rematch might be a little tougher for Maplesville since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
