Basketball Game Preview: North Callaway Thunderbirds vs. Van-Far Indians

The North Callaway Thunderbirds will face off against the Van-Far Indians at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Given that both suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this matchup.

North Callaway saw some tournament action on Monday. They took a 56-43 hit to the loss column at the hands of Louisiana. The Thunderbirds have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Natalie Shryock, who went 5 of 12 on her way to 14 points and five boards. Lakyn Hartley was another key player, putting up eight points and six rebounds.

Even though they lost, North Callaway smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in four consecutive games.

Meanwhile, Van-Far was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their fifth straight defeat. They had to suffer through a 62-31 loss at the hands of Canton.

Like Van-Far, they lost despite seeing results from several players. Elliott Utterback led the charge by earning 15 points. Another player making a difference was Khloe Wallace, who posted five points.

North Callaway's loss dropped their record down to 7-9. As for Van-Far, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-10.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: North Callaway has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 26.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Van-Far struggles in that department as they've been averaging 24.9 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

North Callaway was able to grind out a solid win over Van-Far in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, winning 55-46. The rematch might be a little tougher for North Callaway since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.