Basketball Game Preview: East Bladen Eagles vs. Pender Patriots

East Bladen and Pender are an even 4-4 against one another since January of 2015, but not for long. The East Bladen Eagles will look to defend their home court on Friday against the Pender Patriots at 7:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.

Last Saturday, East Bladen didn't have too much trouble with Franklin Academy as they won 58-44.

Meanwhile, Pender came into Saturday's matchup having lost 13 straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They came out on top against Hobbton by a score of 56-44 on Saturday. The Patriots' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.

Pender's win came from a few key players East Bladen will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Ryan Howell, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 11 boards. He has been hot, having also posted two or more blocks the last six times he's played. Another player making a difference was Ricky Armstrong, who posted 13 points.

Pender was working as a unit and finished the game with 13 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.

Pender's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-4. As for East Bladen, their win bumped their record up to 5-6.

Everything went East Bladen's way against Pender when the teams last played back in February, as East Bladen made off with an 80-56 victory. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Pender's Cyrus Page, who put up 23 points and seven rebounds. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for East Bladen to walk away with another win? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.