Basketball Preview: Neosho Wildcats vs. Joplin Eagles
The Neosho Wildcats will head out on the road to face off against the Joplin Eagles at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Neosho is no doubt hoping to put an end to a nine-game streak of away losses dating back to last season.
Neosho scored the most points they've had all season to find success last Tuesday. They strolled past Lamar with points to spare, taking the game 69-53. The win was just what Neosho needed coming off of a 77-56 defeat in their prior matchup.
Neosho's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Collier Hendricks led the charge by almost dropping a double-double on 17 points and nine rebounds. It was the first time this season that Hendricks pulled down eight or more rebounds. Kanten Smith was another key contributor, scoring 12 points along with seven rebounds and three steals.
Meanwhile, Joplin was beaten by the Eagles 72-43 on Friday. While losing is never fun, Joplin can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Missouri basketball rankings (they are ranked 311th, while the Eagles are ranked 26th).
Neosho's victory bumped their record up to 5-11. As for Joplin, they have not been sharp recently as the team's lost ten of their last 11 contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-18 record this season.
Neosho might still be hurting after the 55-33 loss they got from the Eagles when the teams last played back in January. Can Neosho avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
