Two dominant guards in Makiah Thompson and Andrea Duncan are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Westwood Redhawks will be staying on the road on Tuesday to face off against the James Island Trojans at 6:00 p.m. on February 13th. Hopefully Westwood focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 11 on Friday.
Last Friday, Westwood was able to grind out a solid win over Richland Northeast, taking the game 44-33. Given Westwood's advantage in MaxPreps' South Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 33rd, while Richland Northeast is ranked 138th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Thompson was her usual excellent self, scoring 18 points along with three steals. She is on a roll when it comes to points, as she's now scored 16 or more in the last four games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Morgan Williams, who scored 12 points along with three steals.
Meanwhile, a well-balanced attack led James Island over Hilton Head Island in every quarter on their way to victory on Friday. James Island took down Hilton Head Island 51-33. Winning is a bit easier when you outrebound your opponent 18 to 8 on the offensive boards, as James Island did.
Duncan continued her habit of posting crazy stat lines, almost dropping a double-double on 18 points and nine steals. She has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last four times she's played. Another player making a difference was Alaina Graf, who scored 12 points.
Westwood is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 17-9 record this season. James Island's record now sits at 18-7.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Westwood have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 25.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like James Island struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.1 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything came up roses for Westwood against James Island in their previous matchup back in February of 2023 as the team secured a 62-34 victory. Does Westwood have another victory up their sleeve, or will James Island turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
