Basketball Game Preview: Croatan Cougars vs. Swansboro Pirates

Croatan hasn't had much luck against Swansboro recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Croatan Cougars will face off against the Swansboro Pirates at 8:00 p.m. One thing working in Croatan's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last nine games.

Last Friday, Croatan came up short against White Oak and fell 64-56.

Croatan's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Trey Jones, who almost dropped a double-double on 27 points and nine rebounds, and Kannon McBride, who went 6 for 11 on his way to 14 points along with eight boards and three steals. Jones' evening made it three games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. Jaden Hilliard was another key player, putting up seven points and eight rebounds.

Even though they lost, Croatan smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive boards in four consecutive matchups.

Meanwhile, Swansboro blew past Richlands, posting a 71-31 victory. The Pirates have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven contests by 20 points or more this season.

Swansboro's win was their 18th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 13-1. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 76.6 points per game. As for Croatan, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-3.

Croatan might still be hurting after the 86-66 loss they got from Swansboro in their previous meeting back in February of 2024. Can Croatan avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.