Basketball Game Preview: Eaton Reds vs. Platte Valley Broncos

The Eaton Reds will challenge the Platte Valley Broncos at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.

Eaton is headed into the matchup out to prove that what happened against Resurrection Christian back in December of 2024 (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Eaton might have been a little too into the holiday spirit, gifting Resurrection Christian an easy 61-38 win. The Reds have struggled against the Cougars recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.

Eaton's defeat came about despite a quality game from Austin Crider, who posted 15 points and seven boards. The dominant performance also gave Crider a new career-high in steals (two). Max Blaskowski was another key player, putting up eight points.

Meanwhile, 2025 welcomed Platte Valley with a 61-41 loss courtesy of Sidney on Saturday. The Broncos were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 34-14.

Eaton will have to contain Regan Edstrom as he made an impact in Platte Valley's last game. He dropped a double-double on 20 points and ten boards. The team also got some help courtesy of Hazen Weber, who had five points.

Platte Valley has been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-6 record this season. As for Eaton, their loss dropped their record down to 3-3.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Eaton has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 32.5 boards per game. However, it's not like Platte Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 25.4 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Everything came up roses for Eaton against Platte Valley in their previous meeting back in January of 2024, as the squad secured a 68-37 victory. Will Eaton repeat their success, or does Platte Valley have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.