The Burlington Cougars will venture away from home to square off against the Simla Cubs at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Burlington took a 21-point loss the last time they faced off against Merino, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Burlington came out on top in a nail-biter against Merino on Saturday, sneaking past 44-41. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Cougars as it put an end to their four-game losing streak.
Weston Schaal
| 03/01/25 vs Merino | 16 |
| 02/28/25 vs Holyoke | 16 |
| 02/26/25 @ Byers | 20 |
Burlington's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Weston Schaal, who went 7-for-12 on his way to 16 points and five boards. The contest was Schaal's third in a row with at least 16 points. Adan Lopez-Mitchell was another key player, shooting 56% from the field en route to 14 points.
Meanwhile, Simla entered their tilt with Calhan on Friday with 13 consecutive wins , and they'll enter their next game with 14. They claimed a resounding 72-24 victory over the Bulldogs. The Cubs have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 12 matchups by 21 points or more this season.
Simla's win came from a few key players Burlington will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was TJ Eurich, who posted 14 points and four steals. He continues to improve, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Caston Cox, who scored 11 points along with six steals and five assists.
Simla was working as a unit and finished the game with 17 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Calhan only five assists.
Burlington's record is now 7-16. As for Simla, their win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 20-2.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Burlington has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 28.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Simla struggles in that department as they've been averaging 34.1 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Burlington was taken down by Simla 81-44 in their previous matchup last Friday. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Simla's Tatum Kocerha, who dropped a double-double with 31 points and ten rebounds. Now that Burlington knows the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
