Malone and Cottondale are an even 5-5 against one another since November of 2020, but not for long. The Malone Tigers will look to defend their home court on Friday against the Cottondale Hornets at 7:00 p.m. The timing is sure in Malone's favor as the team sits on nine straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Cottondale has been banged up by three consecutive losses on the road.
Last Friday, Malone was able to grind out a solid win over Poplar Springs, taking the game 60-51.
Hoke Harkrider
| 11/27/23 @ Holmes County | 8 |
| 12/14/23 vs Rehobeth | 8 |
| 12/29/23 vs Samson | 8 |
| 01/16/24 vs Sneads | 8 |
| 01/17/25 vs Poplar Springs | 7 |
Malone relied on the efforts of Jamerious Sims, who almost dropped a double-double on 12 points and nine boards, and Hoke Harkrider, who posted 14 points and seven rebounds. That's the most boards Harkrider has posted since back in January of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Cooper Ford, who had nine points.
Malone smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 13 offensive rebounds in four consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Cottondale had to endure a five-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They walked away with a 53-41 victory over Sneads on Friday. The Hornets pushed the score to 41-20 by the end of the third, a deficit the Pirates cut but never quite recovered from.
Cottondale's win came from a few key players Malone will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Cameron Odom, who went 5 of 8 en route to 13 points along with six assists and four steals. He has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last four times he's played. Tramond Collins was another key player, going 7 for 10 on his way to 16 points and five rebounds.
Malone is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 13-6 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 61.2 points per game. As for Cottondale, their win bumped their record up to 10-8.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Malone has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.5 boards per game. However, it's not like Cottondale struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Malone lost to Cottondale at home by a decisive 50-34 margin in their previous matchup back in December of 2024. Will Malone 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.
