Basketball Game Preview: Payson Lions vs. Hurricane Tigers

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Previous 3 Games

11/26/24 - Home	57-48 W
11/21/23 - Away	77-73 W
02/22/19 - Home	70-53 W

Payson is a perfect 3-0 against Hurricane since February of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The two teams will face off at 7:30 p.m. without much rest, having both just played. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a six-game winning streak alive.

Payson is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. They managed a 52-48 win over Pine View.

Meanwhile, Hurricane hadn't done well against Ridgeline recently (they were 0-4 in their previous four matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. Hurricane walked away with a 59-51 victory over Ridgeline.

Payson better keep an eye on Brigham Kemp. He was instrumental in Hurricane's win, putting up 27 points along with six assists and five rebounds. Those 27 points gave Kemp a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Calan Hughes, who almost dropped a double-double with nine points and nine boards.

Hurricane 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 three consecutive matchups.

Payson's win bumped their record up to 19-5. As for Hurricane, their victory bumped their record up to 16-8.

Payson beat Hurricane 57-48 in their previous meeting back in November of 2024. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Kemp, who went 8-for-13 en route to 19 points in addition to six steals and five assists. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Payson still be able to contain Kemp? There's only one way to find out.