Switzerland County is preparing for their first conference matchup of the season on Friday. They will host the Rising Sun Shiners at 7:30 p.m. The two teams have had a bumpy ride up to this point with six consecutive losses dating back to last season for Switzerland County and four for Rising Sun dating back to last season.
On Friday, Switzerland County came up short against Clarksville and fell 60-52.
Despite the defeat, Switzerland County got top-tier performance from Corbin Craig, who dropped a double-double with 24 points and ten rebounds. That was a full 46.2% of the Pacers' points, marking the third time in a row Craig has posted more than a third of the team's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Nate Williams, who shot 64% from the field en route to 14 points and five assists.
Meanwhile, Rising Sun also suffered a loss in their last game, falling to Jac-Cen-Del by a score of 60-49. While the Shiners didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Eagles 19-14 in the first quarter.
Switzerland County will have to keep a close watch on Dj Williams and Weston Cumberworth, a pair of players who had a big impact on Rising Sun's prior game. Williams went 7-for-15 to rack up 17 points and five assists, while Cumberworth shot 67% from the field on his way to 16 points. Another player making a difference was Derriance Pitts, who earned seven points.
Rising Sun's loss dropped their record down to 0-3. As for Switzerland County, their defeat dropped their record down to an identical 0-3.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Switzerland County has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 25.3 boards per game. However, it's not like Rising Sun struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 22.3 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Switzerland County against Rising Sun in their previous meeting back in January, as the team secured a 68-31 win. Will the Pacers repeat their success, or do the Shiners have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
