The Leflore County Tigers and the Kosciusko Whippets will compete for holiday cheer at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Leflore County will bounce into Thursday's matchup after beating Shaw, who they had gone 0-6 against in their six prior meetings. It was close, but Leflore County ultimately received the gift of a 35-32 win from a begrudging Tigers squad. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory they have posted since December 11, 2023.
Leflore County found their leader in sophomore Malia Dixon, who went 6 of 11 on her way to 14 points and five steals. That makes it five consecutive games in which Dixon has scored at least a third of Leflore County's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Makiyzah Sims, who posted three points and six rebounds.
Meanwhile, Kosciusko waltzed into their contest on Tuesday with six straight wins... but they left with seven. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Panthers 55-17. The Whippets have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven games by 23 points or more this season.
Kosciusko's win came from a few key players Leflore County will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kaleysha Miller, who dropped a double-double on ten points and ten boards. Another player making a difference was Journey Harris, who had ten points.
Kosciusko smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 25 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in ten consecutive matches.
Kosciusko pushed their record up to 12-2 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 50.8 points per game. As for Leflore County, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 8-5.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Leflore County has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 22.4 boards per game. However, it's not like Kosciusko struggles in that department as they've been averaging 33 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Leflore County was dealt a bruising 50-14 defeat at the hands of Kosciusko in their previous matchup back in November of 2023. Will Leflore County have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
