Basketball Game Preview: Randleman Tigers vs. Providence Grove Patriots

The Randleman Tigers will square off against the Providence Grove Patriots at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Randleman is coming into the game hot, having won their last seven games.

Randleman is returning to their home court after beating Uwharrie Charter Academy on theirs, despite the fact Uwharrie Charter Academy has dominated at home this season. Randleman walked away with a 77-66 victory over Uwharrie Charter Academy on Tuesday. Given the Tigers' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 88th, while the Eagles are ranked 241st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Meanwhile, it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Providence Grove ultimately got the result they hoped for on Wednesday. They skirted past Southern Alamance 61-59. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win Providence Grove has posted since November 26, 2024.

Providence Grove's win came from a few key players Randleman will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Will Dabbs, who posted 17 points and six rebounds. Another player making a difference was Andrew Thomas, who scored 24 points and three steals.

Randleman's victory was their ninth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 18-1. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 65.2 points per game. As for Providence Grove, the win got them back to even at 10-10.

Everything came up roses for Randleman against Providence Grove in their previous matchup back in January, as the team secured an 84-51 victory. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Thomas, who went 10 for 25 on his way to 25 points along with five boards and three steals. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Randleman still be able to contain Thomas? There's only one way to find out.