Purnell Swett took a 26-point defeat the last time they faced off against Hoke County, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Rams sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 64-62 victory over the Bucks on Friday.
Kaleb Locklear
| 01/09/26 vs Hoke County | 55% |
| 12/17/25 vs Dillon | 50% |
| 11/24/25 @ Douglas Byrd | 50% |
| 11/18/25 @ Fairmont | 50% |
| 12/19/25 vs Richmond Senior | 43% |
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Purnell Swett to victory, but perhaps none more so than Kaleb Locklear, who dropped a double-double with 14 points and ten boards. The dominant performance also gave Locklear a new career-high in field goal percentage (55%). Jeremiah Barnes was another key player, going 8-for-20 on his way to 18 points and three steals.
Purnell Swett was working as a unit and finished the game with 16 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
When it comes to explaining why Hoke County lost, don't look at Josiah Jacobs. Despite the final result, he shot 50% from the field en route to 14 points and eight rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Carson Hewitt, who posted ten points.
Purnell Swett has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-7 record this season. As for Hoke County, their loss was their fourth straight on the road, which dropped their record down to 6-6.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Purnell Swett will challenge Cape Fear at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The contest will give the Rams their first taste of in-conference action this season. As for Hoke County, they will look to defend their home court on Tuesday against Overhills at 7:30 p.m. The Bucks will be up against the Jaguars' rather soft defense (which has allowed 53.31 points per matchup), so fans could be in store for a big offensive performance.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
