Basketball Game Preview: Hayden Tigers vs. Rangely Panthers

A feisty cat fight will be fought when the Hayden Tigers challenge the Rangely Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday... Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.

Hayden is headed into Friday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fourth straight game back in December of 2024. They were outmatched by Eagle Ridge Academy and fell 61-21.

The losing side was boosted by Jace Bene, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 17 rebounds. The dominant performance gave him a new career-high in rebounds.

Even though they lost, Hayden smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in four consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Rangely played a tough game on Saturday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They came up short against North Fork, falling 57-33.

Rangely dropped their record down to 3-6 with the defeat, which was their fourth straight on the road dating back to last season. As for Hayden, their loss dropped their record down to 1-7.

Hayden didn't have too much breathing room in their match against Rangely in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, but they still walked away with a 56-50 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Hayden since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.