Preview: Ashbrook Greenwave vs. South Point Red Raiders
Ashbrook and South Point are an even 5-5 against one another since January of 2016, but not for long. The Ashbrook Greenwave will head out on the road to face off against the South Point Red Raiders at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Ashbrook is currently enjoying a perfect season and no doubt want to keep things rolling.
On Tuesday, Ashbrook escaped with a win against East Lincoln by the margin of a single free throw, 53-52. That's two games straight that Ashbrook has won by exactly a single point.
Ashbrook got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Issac Byers Jr out in front who scored 17 points along with seven assists and seven rebounds. That makes it four consecutive games in which Byers Jr has scored at least 25% of Ashbrook's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jamari Smith, who scored 20 points.
Meanwhile, South Point had to endure a three-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They pulled ahead with a 48-47 photo finish over Fort Mill. The victory was all the more spectacular given South Point's disadvantage in MaxPreps's basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 300th in North Carolina, while Fort Mill is ranked 23rd in South Carolina).
Graham Williams continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, dropping a double-double on 17 points and 11 rebounds. Those 17 points set a new season-high mark for he. Landon Hunt was another key contributor, scoring five points along with five rebounds and three steals.
Ashbrook pushed their record up to 6-0 with that victory, which was their fourth straight at home. As for South Point, their win bumped their record up to 2-3.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Ashbrook have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 34.8 rebounds per game. It's a different story for South Point, though, as they've been averaging only 33.6 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Ashbrook came up short against South Point in their previous meeting back in February, falling 74-62. Can Ashbrook avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
