The Kenesaw Blue Devils and the Hampton Hawks will round out the year against one another at 5:00 p.m. on Friday at. Hopefully Kenesaw focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 19 last Monday.
Winning is just a little bit easier when you outrebound your opponent 14 to 2 on the offensive boards, a fact Kenesaw proved. They walked away with a 26-13 victory over Axtell. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest win Kenesaw has managed all season.
Kenesaw got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Jorja Uden out in front who scored ten points along with three steals. Those three steals set a new season-high mark for her. The team also got some help courtesy of Avery Kelley, who scored five points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Meanwhile, Hampton's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their third straight loss. They received a tough blow as they fell 53-38 to Lawrence-Nelson.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Nevaeh Lukassen, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten rebounds. She scored a full 44.7% of Hampton's points, the eighth time in a row she's earned more than a third of the team's points. Gavin Gilmore was another key contributor, scoring eight points along with 11 rebounds and eight blocks.
The victory makes it two in a row for Kenesaw and bumps their season record up to 4-3. As for Hampton, their loss was their fourth straight at home, which bumped their record down to 1-7.
Friday's match is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Kenesaw have been dynamite from deep this season, having only made 31% of their threes per game. It's a different story for Hampton, though, as they've only made 30% of their threes per game this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Kenesaw won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer when the teams last played back in December of 2022, slipping by Hampton 46-45. The rematch might be a little tougher for Kenesaw since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
