Basketball Game Preview: Union Tigers vs. Tygarts Valley Bulldogs

Union is 0-10 against Tygarts Valley since December of 2019 but things could change on Tuesday. The Union Tigers will venture away from home to face off against the Tygarts Valley Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. Union is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 53.6 points per game this season.

Union is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 56 points back in December of 2024, they were much more limited against Moorefield back in December of 2024. They were just a bucket shy of victory and fell 31-30 to the Yellow Jackets. The match marked the Tigers' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.

Hunter Gaither put forth a good effort for the losing side as he posted eight points and five boards. Another player making a difference was Corbin Streets, who put up five points and three steals.

Meanwhile, Tygarts Valley unfortunately witnessed the end of their five-game winning streak on Friday. They took a 56-47 hit to the loss column at the hands of East Hardy.

Union will have to keep a close watch on Jacob Wamsley and Kaden Moore, a pair of players who had a big impact on Tygarts Valley's prior game. Wamsley went 6 of 10 en route to 15 points in addition to eight rebounds and four blocks, while Moore almost dropped a double-double on nine points and ten boards. The dominant performance gave Wamsley a new career-high in blocks.

Tygarts Valley's loss dropped their record down to 8-2. As for Union, their defeat was their first in the region, dropping their region record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 4-3.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Union has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 33 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Tygarts Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.9 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Union came up short against Tygarts Valley in their previous meeting back in December of 2024, falling 48-44. Can Union avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.