Basketball Game Preview: Washington County Panthers vs. Tarboro Vikings

Washington County has won five straight games at home, while Tarboro has won five straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Washington County Panthers will host the Tarboro Vikings at 7:30 p.m. Washington County is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 68.5 points per game this season.

Last Monday, Washington County was able to grind out a solid win over Deep Creek, taking the game 71-58. Given the Panthers' advantage in MaxPreps' basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 119th in North Carolina, while the Hornets are ranked 281st in Virginia), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Brandon Carter Jr. was his usual excellent self, dropping a double-double on 27 points and 11 rebounds. He has been hot for a while, having also posted two or more steals the last 15 times he's played. Another player making a difference was Christian Phelps, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 19 boards.

Washington County smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 27 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive boards in 37 consecutive matchups dating back to last season.

Meanwhile, after a string of eight wins, Tarboro's good fortune finally ran out on Saturday. They were dealt a 77-50 loss at the hands of SouthWest Edgecombe. The contest marked the Vikings' lowest-scoring game so far this season.

Washington County's victory bumped their record up to 10-1. As for Tarboro, their defeat ended a six-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 8-2.

Washington County couldn't quite finish off Tarboro in their previous matchup last Tuesday and fell 73-70. Will Washington County have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other basketball content.