The Stockbridge Panthers will head out on the road to challenge the Springport Spartans at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Stockbridge knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past three games -- so hopefully Springport likes a good challenge.
It was a proper cat-fight when Stockbridge challenged Maple Valley on Tuesday. The Panthers walked away with a 60-50 victory over the Lions.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Stockbridge to victory, but perhaps none more so than Bradley Buddenborg, who went 6-for-15 on his way to 21 points and five steals. Another player making a difference was Evan Lockhart, who dropped a double-double with 15 points and ten rebounds.
Meanwhile, Springport hadn't done well against Union City recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The Spartans enjoyed a cozy 58-41 win over the Chargers. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since February 3, 2023, but that streak is no more.
Stockbridge better keep an eye on Dallas Higelmire. He was instrumental in Springport's win, shooting 58% from beyond the arc en route to 32 points along with eight boards and three steals. Those 32 points gave Higelmire a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Brody Baum, who posted four points and eight rebounds.
Springport smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive boards. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Springport's record now sits at 3-1. As for Stockbridge, they pushed their record up to 3-0 with the victory, which was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Stockbridge has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 33.7 boards per game. However, it's not like Springport struggles in that department as they've been averaging 33.5 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Stockbridge against Springport when the teams last played back in February, as the squad secured a 56-18 win. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Spartans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
