The Bunn Wildcats will square off against the Roanoke Rapids Yellowjackets at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
Bunn is headed into the matchup having just suffered their closest defeat since February 13, 2024 on Wednesday. They fell just short of Southern Nash by a score of 43-40.
Bunn's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Josiah Rice, who posted 13 points and three steals, and DJ Smith, who put up 12 points and five steals. Bunn is 5-2 when Smith posts three or more steals, but 1-5 otherwise. Isaac Bailey was another key player, putting up four points and five rebounds.
Even though they lost, Bunn 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 eight offensive boards in four consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Roanoke Rapids can finally bid farewell to their four-game losing streak thanks to their game on Thursday. They walked away with a 51-39 victory over Southeast Halifax.
Bunn better keep an eye on Bobby Hawkins Jr.. He was instrumental in Roanoke Rapids' win, dropping a double-double on 13 points and ten boards. Hawkins Jr. is trending in the right direction considering he's improved his point production for three straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of Quentez Richardson, who had 12 points and five assists.
Bunn has been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-7 record this season. Those losses can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 51.7 points per game. As for Roanoke Rapids, their win bumped their record up to 7-5.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Bunn has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 23.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Roanoke Rapids struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.6 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Bunn came up short against Roanoke Rapids when the teams last played back in February of 2024, falling 62-53. Will Bunn have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other basketball content.
