Basketball Game Preview: Brookhaven Panthers vs. Laurel Golden Tornadoes

The Brookhaven Panthers will square off against the Laurel Golden Tornadoes at 6:00 p.m. on Friday.

Last Friday, Brookhaven lost to Natchez on the road by a 33-17 margin. The Panthers haven't had much luck with the Bulldogs recently, as the team's come up short the last four times they've met.

Meanwhile, Laurel waltzed into their contest on Friday with 23 straight wins... but they left with 24. They blew past the War Eagles, posting a 76-28 victory. The Golden Tornadoes have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 21 games by 20 points or more this season.

Laurel's win came from a few key players Brookhaven will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kayllis Walker, who almost dropped a double-double with 21 points and nine boards. The match was her fourth in a row with at least 15 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Zy Evans, who went 5 of 6 to rack up 13 points in addition to six rebounds and three steals.

Laurel smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive boards in six consecutive contests.

Brookhaven's defeat dropped their record down to 12-16. As for Laurel, their win bumped their record up to 29-1.

Brookhaven came up short against Laurel in their previous matchup back in February of 2023, falling 51-45. Can Brookhaven avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.