The Poplar Springs Atomics's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their fourth straight loss. They took a 54-47 hit to the loss column at the hands of Malone. Poplar Springs was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Malone apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in December of 2023.
When it comes to explaining why Poplar Springs lost, one person who can't be blamed is Baron Hall. Despite the final result, he scored 19 points along with five rebounds. That was a full 40.4% of Poplar Springs' points, marking the fourth time in a row he's earned more than a third of the team's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jamal Carnley, who scored six points.
Leading Malone to victory were Hoke Harkrider and Jackson Welch. Harkrider scored 13 points along with six steals, while Welch dropped a double-double on 20 points and ten rebounds. Harkrider's trending in the right direction, as he's improved his point production for three games straight. Another player making a difference was Everett Welch, who scored six points along with seven assists and two steals.
Poplar Springs has not been sharp recently, as they've lost 11 of their last 12 contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-14 record this season. As for Malone, their victory bumped their record up to 7-12.
Poplar Springs will look to defend their home court on Saturday against Rehobeth at 7:00 p.m. Rehobeth is coming into the contest hot, having won their last three games. Malone won't have much time to rest: their next game is against Cottondale at 7:00 p.m. on January 19th. Cottondale will be looking to keep their four-game home win streak alive.
