After both having extra time off, the Lower Richland Diamond Hornets and the White Knoll Timberwolves will shake off the cobwebs and square off against one another at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. One thing working in Lower Richland's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last three contests.
Two weeks ago, the stars were shining brightly for Lower Richland in a 68-53 victory over Northridge. Given the Diamond Hornets' advantage in MaxPreps' basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked ninth in South Carolina, while the Polar Bears are ranked 189th in Ohio), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
| 12/22/24 vs Northridge | 11 |
| 12/12/23 @ Fairfield Central | 8 |
| 12/01/23 @ Eau Claire | 7 |
| 12/29/23 vs Lugoff-Elgin | 7 |
| 01/11/24 vs Gilbert | 6 |
Chi?Nya Isaac was her usual excellent self, dropping a double-double on 17 points and 11 assists. Those 11 assists gave her a new career-high. Jhnai Sumter was another key player, going 6 for 9 on her way to 13 points and seven rebounds.
They weren't the only one working in the assists department: Lower Richland was working as a unit and finished the game with 18 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, White Knoll came tearing into two weeks ago's matchup with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 23.6 points) and they left with even more momentum. They secured a 41-37 W over the Huskies.
The match pitted two dominant guards against one another in Shaelyn Hayes and Brooklyn Swann. Hayes had a solid game and posted 12 points. Meanwhile, Swann did her best for the losing side, almost dropping a double-double on nine points and 11 boards.
White Knoll's win bumped their record up to 9-4. As for Lower Richland, their victory bumped their record up to 10-1.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Lower Richland has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 30.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like White Knoll struggles in that department as they've been averaging 31.3 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Lower Richland against White Knoll in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, as the team secured a 57-27 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Lower Richland since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
