Bucklin and Hodgeman County are an even 5-5 against one another since February of 2015, but not for long. The Bucklin Red Aces will challenge the Hodgeman County Longhorns at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Bucklin will be looking to extend their current seven-game winning streak.
Bucklin's tournament run continued when they took on Ashland on Monday. Bucklin strolled past Ashland with points to spare, taking the game 45-30.
| 01/27/25 vs Ashland | 4 |
| 01/21/25 @ Minneola | 6 |
| 01/17/25 vs Meade | 2 |
Bucklin's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Emmy Kirk, who posted ten points in addition to five assists and four steals. Kirk has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last three times she's played. Anya Hays also deserves some recognition as she grabbed her first steal of the season.
Kirk wasn't the only one working in the assists department: Bucklin was working as a unit and finished the game with 14 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ashland only racked up five assists.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Hodgeman County, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Tuesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Meade on Monday, sneaking past 38-35.
Hodgeman County's win came from a few key players Bucklin will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Ashlynn Beil, who put up seven points and six rebounds. Another player making a difference was Aidan Lonnberg, who had seven points.
Hodgeman County pushed their record up to 10-2 with the victory, which was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.9 points per game. As for Bucklin, their record is now 9-3.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Bucklin has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 28 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Hodgeman County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.2 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Bucklin skirted past Hodgeman County 49-46 in their previous meeting back in February of 2024. Does Bucklin have another victory up their sleeve, or will Hodgeman County turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
