After both having extra time off, the Lyons Lions and the Beloit Trojans will dust off their jerseys to square off against one another at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both will really light up the scoreboard.
Last Friday, Lyons came up short against Sacred Heart and fell 70-57.
Despite their loss, Lyons saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Ethan Luck, who went 7 for 13 on his way to 22 points and five rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. Xavier Solis was another key player, putting up 13 points along with five boards and five blocks.
Even though they lost, Lyons smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Beloit waltzed into their contest last Friday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They blew past the Bearcats 71-39. That 32 point margin sets a new team best for the Trojans this season.
Lyons better keep an eye on Eli Johnson. He was instrumental in Beloit's win, going 12 of 13 on his way to 26 points and eight rebounds. Johnson's evening made it eight games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jackson Cheney, who went 6 of 13 on his way to 17 points in addition to six assists and six boards.
Lyons' defeat dropped their record down to 3-3. As for Beloit, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Lyons has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 24.3 boards per game. However, it's not like Beloit struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.8 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Lyons took a serious blow against Beloit when the teams last played back in January of 2015, falling 66-31. Thankfully for Lyons, Hunter Budke (who dropped a double-double on 21 points and 14 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.
