Basketball Game Preview: Omaha South Packers vs. Norfolk Panthers

The Omaha South Packers will head out on the road to square off against the Norfolk Panthers at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have had a bumpy ride up to this point with five consecutive losses for Omaha South and 14 for Norfolk.

Last Friday, Omaha South lost to Millard West at home by a 68-50 margin.

Lou Hodoly

Three Point Percentage (Career)

02/14/25 vs Millard West	75%
02/13/24 @ Creighton Prep	71%
01/04/25 @ Grand Island	57%
12/20/24 @ Fremont	57%
02/09/24 @ Fremont	57%

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Lou Hodoly, who went 6-for-8 to rack up 15 points. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in three-point shooting accuracy (75%). Jai Villafuerte-spears was another key player, putting up 15 points and five boards.

Meanwhile, Norfolk scored the most points they've had this season on Saturday, but it wasn't enough. They took an 81-71 hit to the loss column at the hands of Burke.

Omaha South will have to contain Drew Streich as he made an impact in Norfolk's last game. He went 8-for-12 en route to 18 points. Another player making a difference was Gavin Jarecki, who posted 13 points.

Even though they lost, Norfolk was working as a unit and finished the game with 20 assists. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their assist total in three consecutive contests.

Omaha South's record is now 4-17. As for Norfolk, their record is now 2-18.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Omaha South has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.4 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Norfolk struggles in that department as they've been averaging 21.8 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Omaha South beat Norfolk 69-58 in their previous matchup back in February of 2022. Does Omaha South have another victory up their sleeve, or will Norfolk turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.