Basketball Game Preview: Thompson Warriors vs. Shades Valley Mounties

The Thompson Warriors and the Shades Valley Mounties will compete for holiday cheer at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Having struggled with three losses in a row, Thompson turned things around against Helena on Tuesday. They strolled past the Huskies with points to spare, taking the game 49-33.

Meanwhile, the third road contest was the charm for Shades Valley, as they earned their first road win of the season. They enjoyed a cozy 59-40 win over St. Clair County on Thursday. Given the Mounties' advantage in MaxPreps' Alabama basketball rankings (they are ranked 98th, while the Fighting Saints are ranked 272nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Shades Valley has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games, which provided a nice bump to their 6-5 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.8 points per game. As for Thompson, their record is now 8-6.

Thompson might still be hurting after the 68-48 defeat they got from Shades Valley in their previous matchup back in November of 2017. Can Thompson avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.