The Raymond Central Mustangs will head out on the road to square off against the Nebraska City Pioneers at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Raymond Central is no doubt hoping to put an end to an 11-game streak of away losses dating back to last season.
Last Tuesday, things could have been worse for Raymond Central, but they could have been a whole lot better as they took a 57-40 loss to the Cougars. While losing is never fun, Raymond Central can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska basketball rankings (they are ranked 245th, while the Cougars are ranked 45th).
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Reid Otto, who scored eight points along with five rebounds and two steals. Another player making a difference was Preston Lubischer, who scored nine points.
Meanwhile, Nebraska City's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Tuesday after their fifth straight loss. They fell to Plattsmouth 47-42. Nebraska City has struggled against the Blue Devils recently, as their contest on Tuesday was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.
Like Raymond Central, Nebraska City lost despite seeing results from several players. Keston Holman led the charge by scoring nine points along with two steals. Kalan Fritch was another key contributor, scoring eight points along with nine rebounds.
Raymond Central's record is now 1-15. Nebraska City's record is now 2-15.
Raymond Central beat the Pioneers 53-46 in their previous meeting back in February of 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for Raymond Central since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
