The Rocky River Ravens and the Statesville Greyhounds will round out the year against one another at at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
While Rocky River didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-17), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They managed a 45-39 win over East Mecklenburg last Tuesday. Given the Ravens' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 133rd, while the Eagles are ranked 394th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Rocky River got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Camille Montgomery out in front who went 6 of 9 on her way to 17 points and six rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Lundyn Spears, who posted 11 points and five steals.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Statesville, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They came out on top against Mooresville by a score of 52-41 on Friday.
Statesville found their leader in freshman Ava Waugh, who had 24 points and five steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Waugh has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Saniah Davidson, who put up seven points along with seven assists and six boards.
Rocky River pushed their record up to 5-2 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.0 points per game. As for Statesville, the victory got them back to even at 4-4.
Keep an eye on the arc in Saturday's contest: Rocky River has been dynamite from deep this season, having made 37% of their three-pointers per game. It's a different story for Statesville, though, as they've only made 17.9% of their three-pointers this season. Given Rocky River's sizable advantage in that area, Statesville will need to find a way to close that gap.
Rocky River took their win against Statesville in their previous matchup back in December of 2023 by a conclusive 51-25. Does Rocky River have another victory up their sleeve, or will Statesville turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
