Basketball Game Preview: Elkhorn Antlers vs. Bennington Badgers

The Elkhorn Antlers will face off against the Bennington Badgers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Last Saturday, Elkhorn didn't have too much breathing room in their contest against Crete, but they still walked away with a 58-53 victory.

Elkhorn found their leader in sophomore Peter Howard, who went 6 for 10 en route to 22 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Howard has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Grady Friedrichsen, who posted eight points in addition to five rebounds and four blocks.

Meanwhile, Bennington fought the good fight in their overtime game against Norris on Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They took a 74-67 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Titans. The defeat continues a trend for the Badgers in their matchups with the Titans: they've now lost five in a row.

Elkhorn will need focus on slowing down Austin Kaiser, one of several Bennington players who made an impact when they last played. He went 11 of 17 on his way to 27 points and seven boards. Kaiser's evening made it four games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jace Fitzgerald, who went 7 for 13 en route to 19 points and five rebounds.

Elkhorn's win bumped their record up to 6-7. As for Bennington, their loss dropped their record down to 9-6.

Elkhorn skirted past Bennington 54-51 in their previous meeting back in January of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for Elkhorn since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.