Basketball Game Preview: Payson Longhorns vs. Benjamin Franklin Chargers

The Payson Longhorns will take on the Benjamin Franklin Chargers at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Payson is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 54.3 points per game this season.

On Saturday, Payson needed a bit of extra time to put away Alchesay. They skirted past the Falcons 46-43. Winning may never get old, but the Longhorns sure are getting used to it with their third in a row.

Payson's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Clara Whaley led the charge by dropping a double-double on 16 points and ten steals. Those ten steals gave Whaley a new career-high. Mylee Redford was another key player, putting up 17 points and three steals.

Payson smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in ten consecutive matchups.

Meanwhile, Benjamin Franklin suffered their biggest loss since December 19, 2024 on Monday. They came up short against Horizon Honors, falling 53-33. The defeat continues a trend for the Chargers in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now lost five in a row.

Payson will have to contain Jacey Blair as she made an impact in Benjamin Franklin's last game. She posted 20 points.

Payson has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six games, which provided a nice bump to their 16-4 record this season. The wins came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 26.3 points per game. As for Benjamin Franklin, their loss dropped their record down to 7-10.

Everything came up roses for Payson against Benjamin Franklin when the teams last played back in January of 2022, as the team secured a 52-21 victory. Will Payson repeat their success, or does Benjamin Franklin have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.