Basketball Game Preview: Elsberry Indians vs. North Callaway Thunderbirds

The Elsberry Indians will be taking part in a tournament against the North Callaway Thunderbirds at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Elsberry lost 67-45 to Winfield on Tuesday. The loss continues a trend for the Indians in their matchups with the Warriors: they've now lost six in a row.

Meanwhile, the third road match was the charm for North Callaway, as they earned their first road win of the season. They came out on top against Louisiana by a score of 59-52 on Thursday.

Elsberry better focus on containing Dalton Brewer and Jamarion Glover as the pair were huge in North Callaway's win. Brewer went 5 for 11 en route to 16 points and three steals, while Glover almost dropped a double-double on 16 points and nine rebounds. Brewer has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last three times he's played. Another player making a difference was Austin Brown, who posted seven points.

North Callaway smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in eight consecutive games.

North Callaway's win bumped their record up to 7-9. As for Elsberry, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-10.

Elsberry skirted past North Callaway 57-54 in their previous meeting back in February of 2024. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was North Callaway's Isiah Craighead, who almost dropped a double-double on 27 points and nine boards. Now that he won't be playing on Saturday, will it be easier for Elsberry to walk away with another win? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.