After seven games on the road, Newton-Conover is heading back home. They will take on the Bunker Hill Bears at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Given that the pair suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.
Newton-Conover's 25-5 record from last season is now well into the rear view mirror after another tough outing. They fell 49-37 to Bandys on Tuesday. That's two games in a row now that Newton-Conover has lost by exactly 12 points.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Hadleigh Swagger, who scored 13 points. Jaylen Barnes was another key contributor, scoring six points.
Meanwhile, Bunker Hill's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Tuesday after their seventh straight loss. They took a serious blow against Maiden, falling 62-24. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Bunker Hill in their matchups with Maiden: they've now lost five in a row.
Bunker Hill's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Damireona Burch, who scored 16 points along with seven rebounds and two steals, and Megan Starnes who scored no points.
Newton-Conover bumped their record down to 3-12 with that loss, which was their third straight on the road. As for Bunker Hill, their loss dropped their record down to an identical 3-12.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Newton-Conover have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 28.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Bunker Hill struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 30.1 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Newton-Conover was able to grind out a solid victory over Bunker Hill when the teams last played back in December of 2023, winning 52-39. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Burch, who dropped a double-double on 30 points and ten rebounds. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Newton-Conover still be able to contain him? There's only one way to find out.
