The Milton Eagles will head out on the road to square off against Denmark at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Milton will be looking to extend their current eight-game winning streak.
Even though Milton has not done well against the War Eagles recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Milton walked away with a 53-42 win over the War Eagles. Given Milton's advantage in MaxPreps' Georgia basketball rankings (they are ranked 24th, while the War Eagles are ranked 143rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Milton's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Nya Smith led the charge by scoring 26 points along with five steals. Smith is crushing the point category: she's posted at least 16 every time she's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Caroline Young, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Denmark had to endure a four-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They came out on top against South Forsyth by a score of 59-50 last Friday. The win was just what Denmark needed coming off of a 76-46 loss in their prior matchup.
Denmark's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Emma Hempker, who scored 22 points along with two steals. Another player making a difference was Avery Huffman, who scored 17 points along with eight rebounds and two steals.
Milton pushed their record up to 20-2 with that victory, which was their fourth straight at home. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 67.3 points per game. Denmark's record is now 10-12.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Milton have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 38.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Denmark struggles in that department as they've been averaging 22.5 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything came up roses for Milton against the in their previous matchup two weeks ago as the squad secured a 76-46 win. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Hempker, who scored 18 points along with two steals. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Milton still be able to contain Hempker? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
