The Norfolk Panthers will finish 2023 at home by hosting the Lincoln High Links at 1:00 p.m. on Friday. Norfolk is out to stop a five-game streak of losses at home dating back to last season.
Norfolk struggled with threes on Thursday (Millard North had seven more) and sadly the final score reflected it. Norfolk was beaten by Millard North 62-23. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Norfolk has scored all season.
Despite their loss, Norfolk saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Maddi Fineran, who scored six points, was perhaps the best of all. Another player making a difference was Tasha Eisenhauer, who scored six points.
Meanwhile, Lincoln High's 24-2 record from last season is now well into the rear view mirror after another tough outing. They took a 41-33 hit to the loss column at the hands of Kearney on Friday.
Despite the defeat, Lincoln High got a solid performance out of Ayana Owens, who scored 12 points along with five rebounds and three steals. Owens scored a full 36.4% of Lincoln High's points, the seventh time in a row she's earned more than a third of the team's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Amaya Moore, who scored eight points.
Norfolk's loss dropped their record down to 1-6. As for Lincoln High, their loss dropped their record down to an identical 1-6.
Keep an eye on the arc in Friday's match: Norfolk have made nailing deep shots look easy this year this season, having only averaged 4.1 threes per game. It's a different story for Lincoln High, though, as they've been averaging only 4.7 threes per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Norfolk took a serious blow against Lincoln High when the teams last played back in February, falling 78-17. Will Norfolk have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.
