Preview: Wilson Prep Tigers vs. Northampton County Jaguars
Wilson Prep has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will challenge the Northampton County Jaguars at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. After the pair made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky.
Wilson Prep posted their biggest win yet this season on Tuesday. They were the clear victor by a 59-37 margin over Southeast Halifax.
Wilson Prep's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Jessica Atkinson, who scored nine points along with five rebounds and four steals. Atkinson has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last four times she's played. Another player making a difference was Janiya Johnson, who scored six points along with 14 rebounds and three steals.
Meanwhile, Northampton County had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 39 points), and they went ahead and made it six on Wednesday. They blew past Weldon 65-44. Northampton County has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven matchups by 21 points or more this season.
Michaela Hodge was her usual excellent self, dropping a double-double on 21 points and 18 rebounds. Hodge is absolutely dominating the block category: she's posted at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Kyra Vincent was another key contributor, scoring 15 points along with two steals.
Wilson Prep's victory ended a five-game drought at home and bumped them up to 2-10. As for Northampton County, their victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-2.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Wilson Prep have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 28.3 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Northampton County, though, as they've been averaging only 44.8 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Wilson Prep was dealt a bruising 64-17 defeat at the hands of Northampton County in their previous matchup back in December of 2023. Can Wilson Prep avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
