The James F. Byrnes Rebels came tearing into Thursday's contest with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7 points) and they left with even more momentum. They managed a 45-39 win over Boiling Springs. Given James F. Byrnes' advantage in MaxPreps' South Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 17th, while Boiling Springs is ranked 146th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
James F. Byrnes' win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jaida Johnson, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and 14 rebounds. Timmerian Miller was another key contributor, scoring 11 points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Boiling Springs lost despite a true team effort on the offense, the best among them being Sarah Ezell, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and ten rebounds. Another player making a difference was Natalie Trudell, who scored 13 points along with four steals.
James F. Byrnes is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matches, which provided a nice bump to their 13-6 record this season. As for Boiling Springs, they are on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 7-13.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. James F. Byrnes will take on Gaffney at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Gaffney knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past nine matches -- so hopefully James F. Byrnes likes a good challenge. Boiling Springs won't have much time to rest: their next match is against Spartanburg at 6:00 p.m. on January 19th.
