Basketball Game Preview: McLeod Longhorns vs. Hawkins Hawks

McLeod and Hawkins are an even 5-5 against one another since January of 2015, but not for long. The McLeod Longhorns will head out on the road to face off against the Hawkins Hawks at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as McLeod comes in on three and Hawkins on ten.

Last Tuesday, McLeod didn't have too much trouble with Union Grove as they won 67-51.

Meanwhile, Hawkins humbled Ore City with a 42-8 victory. The Hawks have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 11 games by 24 points or more this season.

McLeod better keep an eye on Brayden Givens. He was instrumental in Hawkins' win, going 5 for 9 en route to 12 points in addition to eight steals and five assists. That's the most steals Givens has posted since back in December of 2024. Another player making a difference was Derek Hollman, who went 5 of 8 on his way to 10 points along with five rebounds and four blocks.

Hawkins pushed their record up to 22-2 with the win, which was their 15th straight on the road dating back to last season. As for McLeod, their victory ended a five-game drought at home and bumped them up to 12-17.

McLeod came up short against Hawkins in their previous meeting back in January of 2024, falling 42-36. Can McLeod avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.