Basketball Game Preview: Axtell Wildcats vs. Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Mustangs

The Axtell Wildcats are taking a road trip to take on the Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Mustangs at 6:00 p.m. on Friday.

Axtell is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Kenesaw on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Axtell came up short against Kenesaw, falling 53-30.

Despite their defeat, Axtell saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Bristol Thorell, who posted two points along with nine boards and three blocks, was perhaps the best of all. That's the most blocks Thorell has posted since back in December of 2023.

Meanwhile, Sumner-Eddyville-Miller came tearing into Thursday's match with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 19.3 points) and they left with even more momentum. They came out on top against Hi-Line [Eustis-Farnam/Elwood] by a score of 46-37. That's two games straight that the Mustangs have won by exactly nine points.

Sumner-Eddyville-Miller's win came from a few key players Axtell will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jaycelyn Hoos, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 15 boards. The team also got some help courtesy of Katelynn Reiter, who put up nine points and five steals.

Sumner-Eddyville-Miller's win bumped their record up to 6-3. As for Axtell, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-7 record this season.

Axtell was taken down by Sumner-Eddyville-Miller 63-18 in their previous matchup back in January of 2024. Thankfully for Axtell, Mikah O'Neill (who almost dropped a double-double on 15 points and nine rebounds) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.