Basketball Game Preview: Hackleburg Panthers vs. Brilliant Tigers

A feisty cat fight is on tap when the Hackleburg Panthers duke it out with the Brilliant Tigers at 5:00 p.m. on Monday... Hackleburg has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.

Hackleburg took a loss when they played away from home on Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Saturday. They claimed a resounding 73-29 win over Lindsay Lane Christian Academy. The victory was some much needed relief for the Panthers as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, Brilliant strolled past Berry with points to spare on Saturday, taking the game 53-38. Given the Tigers' advantage in MaxPreps' Alabama basketball rankings (they are ranked 165th, while the Wildcats are ranked 439th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Brilliant's win came from a few key players Hackleburg will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Hadlee Sanderson, who dropped a double-double on 22 points and 18 boards. That's the most rebounds she has posted since back in December of 2024. Another player making a difference was Brooklyn Omary, who posted 14 points along with seven steals and six boards.

Hackleburg's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-9. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 65.8 points per game. As for Brilliant, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 18-9.

Hackleburg came up short against Brilliant in their previous meeting on Thursday, falling 57-53. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Omary, who went 5 for 12 on her way to 22 points. Now that Hackleburg knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.