Basketball Game Preview: Bayard Tigers vs. Hay Springs Hawks

After both having extra time off, the Bayard Tigers and the Hay Springs Hawks will dust off their jerseys to square off against one another at 6:00 p.m. on Friday.

Last Friday, Bayard lost to Garden County at home by a 64-47 margin. The Tigers have struggled against the Eagles recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.

Despite the loss, Bayard saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Connor Posey went 6 of 14 on his way to 16 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Connor Cochran, who posted five points and six assists.

Even though they lost, Bayard was working as a unit and finished the game with 11 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.

Meanwhile, Hay Springs had to endure a five-game losing streak dating back to last season, but that streak is no more. They came out on top against Creek Valley by a score of 69-58 two weeks ago. The Hawks' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.

Hay Springs' win came from a few key players Bayard will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Dylan Young, who went 8 of 19 on his way to 23 points in addition to seven boards and six steals. The game was his fifth in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Talan Smith, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Hay Springs' first win this season bumped their record up to 1-4. As for Bayard, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-6.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Bayard has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 30.3 boards per game. However, it's not like Hay Springs struggles in that department as they've been averaging 35.4 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other basketball content.