Basketball Game Preview: Newton North Tigers vs. Needham Rockets

The Newton North Tigers just played last yesterday, but they'll still welcome the Needham Rockets at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The timing is sure in Newton North's favor as the squad sits on seven straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Needham has been banged up by five consecutive losses on the road.

It was a proper cat-fight when Newton North took on Albany on Thursday. Newton North fell to Albany 58-53. The loss was a bit of a surprise, as the Tigers came into the contest with a sizable advantage in MaxPreps' basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked sixth in Massachusetts, while the Cougars are ranked 193rd in California).

Meanwhile, Needham was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Tuesday as they fell 52-48 to Wellesley.

Having lost for the first time this season, Newton North fell to 9-1. As for Needham, their loss dropped their record down to 2-6.

Newton North strolled past Needham when the teams last played on Friday by a score of 67-48. Will Newton North repeat their success, or does Needham have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.