Basketball Game Preview: Commerce Tigers vs. Oglethorpe County Patriots

The Commerce Tigers will head out on the road to take on the Oglethorpe County Patriots at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Commerce is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 57.4 points per game this season.

Commerce will bounce into Friday's contest after beating Athens Academy, who they had gone 2-7 against in their nine prior meetings. Commerce skirted past Athens Academy 46-44. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Tigers have posted since November 21, 2024.

Commerce can attribute much of their success to Evan Peters, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and ten rebounds, and Maki Mitchell, who went 5 of 11 on his way to 13 points and six rebounds. That's the most rebounds Peters has posted since back in February of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Essien Lockleer, who posted five points and five assists.

Meanwhile, Oglethorpe County scored the most points they've had this season on Tuesday, but it wasn't enough. They took a 73-57 bruising from Elbert County. The Patriots were down 60-35 at the end of the third quarter, which was just too much to recover from.

Commerce pushed their record up to 10-7 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. As for Oglethorpe County, their loss dropped their record down to 1-10.

Commerce strolled past Oglethorpe County in their previous meeting back in December of 2019 by a score of 73-59. Does Commerce have another victory up their sleeve, or will Oglethorpe County turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.