Basketball Game Preview: Kennedy Cougars vs. River Valley Falcons

The Kennedy Cougars and the River Valley Falcons will compete for holiday cheer at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. One thing working in Kennedy's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last five matches.

Kennedy took a loss when they played away from home on Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They came out on top against Union Mine by a score of 71-64. The Cougars' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.

Aharon Young continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, putting up 27 points. The contest was his third in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Noah Hayes II, who posted 13 points.

Meanwhile, River Valley came up short against Chico on Tuesday and fell 65-54.

Kennedy will have to contain Manraj Sarai as he made an impact in River Valley's last game. He went 7 of 17 on his way to 16 points and eight rebounds. Sarai is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Gurtaran Sanghu, who had nine points and five rebounds.

Even though they lost, River Valley smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in five consecutive games.

River Valley has been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-6 record this season. Those losses can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 51.5 points per game. As for Kennedy, they pushed their record up to 5-3 with the win, which was their third straight at home.

Kennedy came up short against River Valley when the teams last played back in December of 2021, falling 57-44. Can Kennedy avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.