Basketball Game Preview: Bennett Tigers vs. Eaton Reds

The Bennett Tigers will take on the Eaton Reds at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.

Last Friday, Bennett lost to Prospect Ridge Academy on the road by a 73-55 margin.

Owen Stiers

Steals

02/28/25 @ Prospect Ridge Academy	4
02/24/25 @ Alameda	5
02/18/25 vs Fort Lupton	4

Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Owen Stiers, who went 5-for-9 to rack up 15 points in addition to six boards and four steals. He is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed four or more in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Jayden Ivory, who shot 71% from the field on his way to 16 points and five rebounds.

Meanwhile, Eaton waltzed into their matchup on Friday with four straight wins... but they left with five. They blew past the Tigers 70-43. The Reds pushed the score to 57-33 by the end of the third, a deficit the Tigers had little chance of recovering from.

Eaton found their leader in sophomore Crew Haythorn, who went 9-for-13 en route to 24 points and seven boards. What's more, Haythorn also posted a 69% field goal percentage, which is the highest he's achieved since back in February of 2024. Ely Madaleno was another key player, putting up seven points and three steals.

Eaton pushed their record up to 14-9 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 71.2 points over those games. As for Bennett, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 17-6 record this season.

Bennett and Eaton were neck-and-neck in their previous matchup back in March of 2016, but Bennett came up empty-handed after a 65-64 defeat. Thankfully for Bennett, Jared Foss (who shot 50% from the field to rack up 22 points and six rebounds) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.