Decatur Community has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will take on the Norton Bluejays at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Decatur Community will have to bring their A-game into this one, as they are staring down a pretty big deficit in the MaxPreps Kansas Rankings (they are ranked 331st, while the Bluejays are ranked 77th).
Even though Decatur Community has not done well against the Jackrabbits recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Decatur Community strolled past the Jackrabbits with points to spare, taking the game 52-37. The win was just what Decatur Community needed coming off of a 68-23 loss in their prior game.
Decatur Community's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Tyler Ostmeyer led the charge by almost dropping a double-double on 18 points and nine rebounds. Davin Jensen was another key contributor, almost dropping a triple-double on 12 points, nine rebounds, and nine steals.
Meanwhile, Norton scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 76-53 margin over Plainville.
Norton's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Eli Jones, who scored 22 points along with two steals, and Roman Hauser, who dropped a triple-double on 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. Jones is crushing the point category: he's posted at least 15 every time he's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Rylen Murray, who scored 13 points.
Decatur Community's win ended a four-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 4-11. Norton's record now sits at 11-3.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Decatur Community have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 28.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Norton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 24.7 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Decatur Community was dealt a bruising 53-18 loss at the hands of the Bluejays in their previous matchup back in February of 2023. Thankfully for Decatur Community, Sean Anderson (who scored 13 points along with seven rebounds) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
