Preview: Smith Center Redmen vs. Phillipsburg Panthers
Smith Center is 0-10 against Phillipsburg since January of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Smith Center Redmen will be playing at home against the Phillipsburg Panthers at 7:00 p.m. Given that the pair suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this match.
Last Tuesday, Smith Center was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 51-45 to Hill City. Smith Center has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the most dominant came from Daveyon Orr, who scored nine points. The team also got some help courtesy of Brant Wilson, who scored 13 points along with eight rebounds.
Meanwhile, Phillipsburg struggled with assists on Tuesday (Hoisington had 13 more) and sadly the final score reflected it. Phillipsburg lost to Hoisington at home by a decisive 67-50 margin.
Despite the defeat, Phillipsburg had strong showings from Rhett Shelton, who scored 14 points along with two steals, and Caden Seems, who scored ten points along with two blocks. Ryan Babcock was another key contributor, scoring five points.
Smith Center dropped their record down to 3-8 with that defeat, which was their 12th straight on the road. As for Phillipsburg, their loss dropped their record down to 8-6.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Smith Center have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 31 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Phillipsburg struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30.5 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Smith Center ended up a good deal behind Phillipsburg in their previous meeting back in January of 2023, losing 57-38. Will Smith Center have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.
