Panther Creek is 10-0 against Cary since February of 2019, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Panther Creek Catamounts will head out on the road to square off against the Cary Imps at 6:00 p.m. Panther Creek has been dominant on offense recently, as they've racked up an incredible 439 points over their last six contests.
Panther Creek put the finishing touches on their eighth blowout victory of the season on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Middle Creek with a sharp 68-42 victory. Given Panther Creek's advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 43rd, while Middle Creek is ranked 218th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Panther Creek's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Cameron Hunter led the charge by dropping a double-double on 12 points and ten rebounds. Hunter hasn't dropped below two steals for five straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of Zy'vaun Puckett, who scored 19 points along with five rebounds and two steals.
Cary suffered their biggest defeat since December 12, 2023 on Wednesday. Their tough 62-42 loss to Middle Creek might stick with them for a while. Cary has struggled against Middle Creek recently, as their match on Wednesday was their third consecutive lost matchup.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Stone Holcombe, who scored 19 points. Bryson Keith was another key contributor, scoring six points.
Panther Creek pushed their record up to 13-4 with that victory, which was their sixth straight at home. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 74.3 points per game. As for Cary, they have not been sharp recently, as they've lost five of their last six matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-13 record this season.
Friday's matchup will pit two of the most dominant guards against one another: Chris Uwayo and Holcombe. Uwayo has been dynamite this season: he has averaged 16.4 points, 1.6 steals, and 4.2 assists. For his part, Holcombe has averaged 17.4 points and 3.9 rebounds.
Everything came up roses for Panther Creek against Cary in their previous meeting back in December of 2023 as the squad secured a 75-39 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Panther Creek since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
