Vance County hasn't had much luck against Southern School of Energy and Sustainability recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Vance County Vipers will head out to take on the Southern School of Energy and Sustainability Spartans at 6:00 p.m.
Last Monday, Vance County was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 56-50 to Williams.
Despite their defeat, Vance County saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Da'Shunti Hester, who posted 18 points, was perhaps the best of all. Another player making a difference was Destiny Timberlake, who had 12 points.
Meanwhile, Southern School of Energy and Sustainability had already won six in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 44.2 points) and they went ahead and made it seven on Monday. They blew past the Hornets 55-34. Given the Spartans' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 107th, while the Hornets are ranked 428th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Southern School of Energy and Sustainability's win came from a few key players Vance County will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Ashlyn Hudson, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 19 boards. She has been hot for a while, having also posted two or more steals the last 24 times she's played. Samirrah Trice was another key player, going 5 of 12 on her way to 12 points and three steals.
Southern School of Energy and Sustainability smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 24 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 45 consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
Southern School of Energy and Sustainability's win was their 21st straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 13-2. Those victories came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 29.2 points per game. As for Vance County, their loss dropped their record down to 11-3.
Vance County ended up a good deal behind Southern School of Energy and Sustainability when the teams last played back in February of 2024, losing 62-46. Can Vance County avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
