The Jay Royals will challenge the Holmes County Blue Devils at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Jay sitting on four straight wins and Holmes County on 12.
Jay is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. They strolled past Paxton with points to spare, taking the game 59-45.
Presley Hawthorne
| 02/13/25 vs Paxton | 22 |
| 01/25/25 vs Pace | 14 |
| 02/06/25 vs Laurel Hill | 12 |
| 01/03/25 vs Walton | 12 |
| 02/08/25 vs Paxton | 10 |
Jay found their leader in sophomore Presley Hawthorne, who posted 22 points along with five boards and four steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Hawthorne has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Aubreigh Nelson, who had 12 points and five rebounds.
Meanwhile, Holmes County was fully in charge on Thursday, breezing past Graceville 64-30. The Blue Devils have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 18 matchups by 21 points or more this season.
Jay better keep an eye on Bri Adams. She was instrumental in Holmes County's win, going 7-for-14 to rack up 20 points in addition to eight boards and five assists. Adams is also on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as she's posted one of at least 50% in the last five games she's played. Savannah Goodman was another key player, going 5-for-8 on her way to 17 points.
Holmes County smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in ten consecutive games.
Holmes County's victory bumped their record up to 24-2. As for Jay, their win bumped their record up to 20-3.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Jay has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 34 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Holmes County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.5 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Jay lost to Holmes County on the road by a decisive 69-50 margin in their previous matchup back in December of 2024. Can Jay avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
