Basketball Game Preview: South Cougars vs. Derby Panthers

South hasn't had much luck against Derby recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. A feisty cat fight will be fought as the Cougars duke it out with the Panthers at 6:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Last Friday, South earned a 38-31 victory over Valley Center.

Meanwhile, Derby faced Maize South in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. Derby managed a 49-45 win over Maize South.

Derby's win came from a few key players South will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Macayla Askew, who dropped a double-double with 12 points and 12 boards. She is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in each of the last six games she's played. Another player making a difference was Aysia Fox, who posted seven points in addition to seven rebounds and five steals.

Derby 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 six consecutive contests.

South's victory bumped their record up to 10-8. As for Derby, they pushed their record up to 15-3 with the win, which was their 12th straight on the road dating back to last season.

South was dealt a bruising 48-16 loss at the hands of Derby in their previous meeting back in January. That game was all but decided by halftime, at which point South was down 30-9.