Preview: Pius X Thunderbolts vs. Lincoln North Star Navigators
Pius X has enjoyed the comforts of home their last two games, but now they'll head out on the road. They will face off against the Lincoln North Star Navigators at 5:45 p.m. on Friday. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Tuesday, Pius X didn't have too much trouble with the Bearcats at home as they won 49-32.
It was another big night for Sara Iburg, who scored 22 points along with seven rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Brynn Sebek, who scored 13 points.
Meanwhile, Lincoln North Star waltzed into their matchup on Tuesday with seven straight wins but they left with eight. They blew past Fremont, posting a 73-13 victory at home. Lincoln North Star has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven contests by 21 points or more this season.
Lincoln North Star found their leader in underclassman Kaytee Irons-Buettner, who scored 17 points along with five steals. Ani Leu was another key contributor, scoring ten points along with eight rebounds and three steals.
Pius X pushed their record up to 10-6 with that win, which was their fourth straight at home. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.3 points per game. As for Lincoln North Star, their win bumped their record up to 13-2.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Pius X have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 23.4 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Lincoln North Star struggles in that department as they've been averaging 24.9 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Pius X and the Navigators were neck-and-neck in their previous meeting back in February of 2023, but the Thunderbolts came up empty-handed after a 36-35 loss. Can Pius X avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
