Basketball Game Preview: Sammamish RedHawks vs. Franklin Pierce Cardinals

Two dominant guards in Rakin Showki and Javon Barbee are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Sammamish RedHawks will finish 2024 at home by hosting the Franklin Pierce Cardinals at 7:15 p.m. on Monday.

Last Monday, Sammamish took a blow against West Seattle, falling 77-50. The game marked the RedHawks' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.

Meanwhile, Franklin Pierce humbled Mount Vernon Christian with a 71-35 victory. The Cardinals have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three matchups by 36 points or more this season.

Sammamish better keep an eye on Barbee. He was instrumental in Franklin Pierce's win, dropping a double-double on 25 points and 11 boards. That makes it six consecutive games in which Barbee has scored at least a third of Franklin Pierce's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jimrac Newmann-Godful, who went 8 of 10 on his way to 16 points and eight rebounds.

Franklin Pierce was working as a unit and finished the game with 17 assists. That's the most assists they've posted since back in November of 2023.

Sammamish's loss dropped their record down to 5-5. As for Franklin Pierce, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 4-2.

Sammamish won a game that couldn't have been any closer in their previous matchup back in December of 2023, slipping by Franklin Pierce 62-61. Will Sammamish repeat their success, or does Franklin Pierce have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.