Preview: West Point-Beemer Cadets vs. Wayne Blue Devils
West Point-Beemer and Wayne are an even 5-5 against one another since December of 2015, but not for long. The West Point-Beemer Cadets will be home for the holidays to greet the Wayne Blue Devils on Thursday. West Point-Beemer has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games.
West Point-Beemer scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Tuesday. They snuck past Douglas County West with a 55-49 win. The win was all the more spectacular given West Point-Beemer's disadvantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska basketball rankings (they are ranked 205th, while Douglas County West is ranked 92nd).
West Point-Beemer can attribute much of their success to Mia Hunke, who scored nine points along with 15 rebounds, and Campbell Snodgrass, who scored 14 points along with four steals. Hunke also grabbed two steals for the first time this season. Nevaeh Weborg was another key contributor, scoring 12 points.
Meanwhile, winning is just a little bit easier when you work as a team to rack up ten more assists than your opponent, a fact Wayne proved on Saturday. They secured a 46-40 W over O'Neill.
Frantzdie Barner was the offensive standout of the match as she scored 12 points along with five rebounds and four steals. Another player making a difference was Lily Gubbels, who scored seven points.
West Point-Beemer's victory bumped their record up to 2-5. As for Wayne, their victory bumped their record up to 3-4.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: West Point-Beemer have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 24.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Wayne struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 29.4 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
West Point-Beemer ended up a good deal behind Wayne when the teams last played back in January, losing 42-28. Thankfully for West Point-Beemer, Brooklyn Kruse (who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 13 rebounds) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
