There's no place like home for Annawan, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Wednesday. They walked away with a 43-36 win over the Bureau Valley Storm on Monday. The Braves/Bravettes have seen this before: they got the W the last time they saw the Storm, too.
Annawan's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Bella VanOpdorp led the charge by putting up 18 points. That makes it three consecutive games in which VanOpdorp has scored at least a third of Annawan's points. Paige Sierens was another key player, posting 11 points.
Bureau Valley's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Izabella Birkey, who almost dropped a double-double on nine points and nine boards. That's the most points Birkey has posted since back in December of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Emily Wright, who posted five points and six rebounds.
Braves/Bravettes
| 02/03/25 vs Bureau Valley | 43-36 |
| 01/27/25 vs Stark County | 57-40 |
| 01/20/25 vs Galva | 68-48 |
Annawan's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-18. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 56.0 points per game. As for Bureau Valley, they have been struggling recently as they've lost 15 of their last 20 contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 10-18 record this season.
Annawan and Bureau Valley could both be facing uphill battles in their next games considering their disadvantage in the MaxPreps Illinois Rankings. Annawan will take on Abingdon/Avon at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday down 420 places (474 vs. 54). Meanwhile, Bureau Valley (ranked 444th) will meet Monmouth United (ranked 133rd) at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
