Collins will take on McLaurin in a holiday battle at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Collins has five straight wins, McLaurin has eight straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the court.
While Collins didn't have the best season last year (they finished 6-16), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They enjoyed a cozy 49-30 victory over Mount Olive on Friday. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Tigers' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Mississippi basketball rankings (they are ranked 121st, while the Pirates are ranked 265th).
Collins got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Phanesha Magee out in front who posted 12 points along with seven steals and five rebounds. Tiana Coleman was another key player, going 5-for-8 en route to 12 points in addition to five boards and three steals.
Collins smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive boards. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Fans were treated to a battle of the Tigers on Friday. McLaurin fell 45-34 to Crystal Springs.
McLaurin's defeat dropped their record down to 2-12. As for Collins, their victory bumped their record up to 5-2.
Collins didn't have too much breathing room in their game against McLaurin in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, but they still walked away with a 34-29 win. Does Collins have another victory up their sleeve, or will McLaurin turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps