Basketball Game Preview: Bland Tigers vs. Sam Rayburn Rebels

Bland and Sam Rayburn are an even 4-4 against one another since December of 2017, but not for long. The Bland Tigers will look to defend their home court on Friday against the Sam Rayburn Rebels at 6:15 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

On Tuesday, Bland was able to grind out a solid win over Honey Grove, taking the game 53-43. Given the Tigers' advantage in MaxPreps' Texas basketball rankings (they are ranked 194th, while the Warriors are ranked 555th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Sam Rayburn, who bounced back after a loss on the road two weeks ago. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Tom Bean 35-32.

Sam Rayburn's win was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 8-5. As for Bland, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 16-1.

Bland came up short against Sam Rayburn in their previous matchup back in January of 2024, falling 54-50. Will Bland 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.