Basketball Game Preview: Chiefland Indians vs. Hawthorne Hornets

Chiefland hasn't had much luck against Hawthorne recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Chiefland Indians will look to defend their home court against the Hawthorne Hornets at 7:30 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Chiefland is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They breezed by Cedar Key to the tune of 74-34 on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Hawthorne, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They strolled past Eastside with points to spare on Tuesday, taking the game 52-33. Given the Hornets' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 90th, while the Rams are ranked 477th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Chiefland better keep an eye on Chasion Wilson. He was instrumental in Hawthorne's win, going 8 for 11 en route to 18 points in addition to six rebounds and three steals. Wilson's evening made it four games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Kelvin Baker, who posted nine points.

Hawthorne smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in six consecutive games.

Hawthorne pushed their record up to 7-1 with the win, which was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 64.8 points per game. As for Chiefland, their victory bumped their record up to 10-5.

Chiefland took a serious blow against Hawthorne in their previous meeting back in February of 2024, falling 79-51. Will Chiefland have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.