Basketball Game Preview: Salem Wildcats vs. East Marion Eagles

Salem hasn't had much luck against East Marion recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Salem Wildcats are taking a road trip to face off against the East Marion Eagles at 7:30 p.m. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.

Salem is headed into Friday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 34th straight game dating back to last season on Tuesday. They were beaten by Sacred Heart 65-27. The Wildcats were down 46-25 at the end of the third quarter, and things only got worse from there.

Despite their loss, Salem saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Dylan Thornton, who posted eight points in addition to five boards and four blocks, was perhaps the best of all. Thornton has been hot for a while, having posted two or more blocks the last nine times he's played.

Meanwhile, East Marion suffered their closest defeat since December 29, 2023 on Friday. They fell just short of Resurrection Catholic by a score of 46-43.

Like Salem, East Marion lost despite seeing results from several players. Caden Mingo led the charge by going 5 for 12 on his way to 11 points in addition to seven rebounds and four steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Malik Payton, who had ten points.

Salem's loss dropped their record down to 0-14. As for East Marion, their defeat ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 5-6.

Salem was taken down by East Marion 61-26 when the teams last played back in January of 2024. Thankfully for Salem, Lozavious Armstrong (who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 11 rebounds) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.