Preview: Paxton Bobcats vs. Brantley Bulldogs
After two games on the road, Paxton is heading back home. They will take on the Brantley Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Hopefully Paxton is not getting complacent, as they presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Brantley in their respective states (Paxton is ranked 44th in Florida, while Brantley is ranked 166th in Alabama).
Last Tuesday, Paxton was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 44-38 to Jay. The loss put an end to Paxton's undefeated start to the season.
Loss or not, Paxton got some senior leadership from Hydie Varnum who dropped a double-double on 17 points and 10 rebounds and Lexie Nagy who scored 10 points along with 7 rebounds.
Brantley has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three contests by 22 points or more this season. They simply couldn't be stopped on Tuesday as they easily beat McKenzie 56-20 at home. The win made it back-to-back wins for Brantley.
Brantley found their leader in underclassman CoCo Stamps, who scored 16 points along with 7 steals and 6 rebounds. Stamps is absolutely dominating the steal category: she's posted at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Alex Grimes, who scored 11 points along with 8 rebounds and 3 steals.
Paxton's defeat dropped their record down to 6-1. As for Brantley, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 5-2 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Paxton have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.6 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Brantley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.3 per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
Paxton strolled past Brantley in their previous meeting back in December of 2022 by a score of 38-23. Does Paxton have another victory up their sleeve, or will Brantley turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
