Preview: Purnell Swett Rams vs. Lumberton Pirates
Purnell Swett is 0-10 against Lumberton since January of 2020 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Purnell Swett Rams will be playing in front of their home fans against the Lumberton Pirates at 7:30 p.m. The timing isn't great for Purnell Swett: they have been struggling with five straight losses at home, while Lumberton has snatched up three consecutive wins on the road.
Purnell Swett scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Friday. They walked away with a 66-53 victory over Douglas Byrd. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest victory Purnell Swett has managed all season.
Collin Sampson was his usual excellent self, scoring 30 points along with three steals. Another player making a difference was Timothy Locklear, who scored 14 points along with six steals.
Meanwhile, Lumberton came up short against Seventy-First on Friday and fell 61-51. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Lumberton in their matchups with Seventy-First: they've now lost five in a row.
Lumberton's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Dimetrious Jones, who dropped a double-double on 24 points and 13 rebounds, and Jaiden Shephard who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 11 rebounds. Shephard is absolutely dominating the rebound category: he's posted at least eight every time he's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Brady Chavis, who scored three points along with two steals.
Purnell Swett's victory ended a five-game drought on the road and puts them at 3-9. As for Lumberton, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-7.
Purnell Swett couldn't quite finish off Lumberton in their previous meeting back in February of 2023 and fell 58-55. Can Purnell Swett avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
