The Smyrna Bulldogs will head out on the road to face off against the Overton Bobcats at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Even though Smyrna has not done well against Riverdale recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. Smyrna was the clear victor by a 56-32 margin over Riverdale. The win was familiar territory for Smyrna who now have four in a row.
Smyrna's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Tyreque Mccarver, who scored 14 points, and Jalylle Batey-roberts, who scored 15 points. That makes it two consecutive games in which Batey-roberts has scored at least 25% of Smyrna's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Lance Garner, who scored 6 points.
Meanwhile, Overton unfortunately witnessed the end of their five-game winning streak on Monday. They fell 69-61 to Father Ryan. Overton has struggled against Father Ryan recently, as their match on Monday was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.
Despite the defeat, Overton had strong showings from William Carter, who scored 22 points, and Kyree Christian, who scored 20 points. The game was Carter's sixth in a row with at least ten points. William Livingston was another key contributor, scoring 6 points.
Smyrna's victory bumped their season record to 5-1 while Riverdale's loss dropped theirs to 4-3.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Smyrna have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 23.7 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Overton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.2 per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
Smyrna didn't have too much breathing room in their match against Overton in their previous meeting back in December of 2022, but they still walked away with a 66-62 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Smyrna since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
