Basketball Game Preview: Laurel Golden Tornadoes vs. Brookhaven Panthers

The Laurel Golden Tornadoes will square off against the Brookhaven Panthers at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Laurel is coming into the game hot, having won their last 24 games.

Laurel is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They blew past Wayne County, posting a 76-28 win. The Golden Tornadoes have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 21 matches by 20 points or more this season.

Kayllis Walker

Points

02/07/25 vs Wayne County	21
02/06/25 vs East Central	22
01/30/25 @ Stone	15
01/29/25 vs East Central	19

Laurel's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Kayllis Walker, who almost dropped a double-double with 21 points and nine boards. Walker's evening made it four games in a row in which she has scored at least 15 points. Another player making a difference was Zy Evans, who went 5 of 6 on her way to 13 points in addition to six rebounds and three steals.

Laurel smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive rebounds in six consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Brookhaven ended up a good deal behind Natchez on Friday and lost 33-17. The defeat continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now lost four in a row.

Laurel's win bumped their record up to 29-1. As for Brookhaven, their loss dropped their record down to 12-16.

Laurel didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Brookhaven when the teams last played back in February of 2023, but they still walked away with a 51-45 victory. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Brookhaven's Angel Wilkinson, who posted 23 points along with seven boards and five steals. Now that she won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for Laurel to walk away with another win? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.