Basketball Game Preview: Climax Springs Cougars vs. Tipton Cardinals

A feisty cat fight is on tap when the Climax Springs Cougars take on the Tipton Cardinals at 5:30 p.m. on Friday... Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Climax Springs will bounce into Friday's matchup after beating Weaubleau, who they had gone 1-8 against in their nine prior meetings. Climax Springs came out on top against Weaubleau by a score of 50-40 on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Tipton had to endure a three-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They strolled past Macks Creek with points to spare on Tuesday, taking the game 64-45.

Tipton's win came from a few key players Climax Springs will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Ben Bestgen, who posted 15 points and seven steals. Those seven steals gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Lucas Cashman, who put up 14 points along with eight boards and three steals.

Tipton smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.

Climax Springs' victory bumped their record up to 4-7. As for Tipton, their win bumped their record up to 4-9.

Climax Springs might still be hurting after the 72-49 loss they got from Tipton in their previous meeting back in December of 2024. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Cashman, who dropped a double-double on 26 points and 11 rebounds. Now that Climax Springs knows the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.