Lawrence North has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Southport Cardinals at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Lawrence North's favor is that they have posted big point totals every time they've taken the court this season.
Even though Indianapolis Crispus Attucks scored an imposing 71 points on Tuesday, Lawrence North still came out on top. Lawrence North escaped with a win against Indianapolis Crispus Attucks by the margin of a single free throw, 72-71. Given Lawrence North's advantage in MaxPreps' Indiana basketball rankings (they are ranked fourth, while Indianapolis Crispus Attucks is ranked 43rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Lawrence North got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Brennan Miller out in front who scored 14 points along with six rebounds and three steals. The matchup was Miller's sixth in a row with at least ten points. Azavier Robinson was another key contributor, scoring 16 points along with three steals.
Meanwhile, Southport had to endure a four-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They came out on top against Bloomington North by a score of 67-57 on Friday. Southport's offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Donovan Brewer and Michael Johnson were among the main playmakers for Southport as the former scored 13 points and the latter scored 17 points along with eight rebounds and six assists. Those six assists set a new season-high mark for him. The team also got some help courtesy of Jack Turner, who scored nine points along with nine rebounds.
Lawrence North's record now sits at 6-0. Southport's record now sits at 2-4.
Friday's game is shaping up to be a scrappy contest: Lawrence North have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 29 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Southport, though, as they've been averaging only 26.5 rebounds per game. Given Lawrence North's sizeable advantage in that area, Southport will need to find a way to close that gap.
Lawrence North couldn't quite finish off Southport when the teams last played back in December of 2022 and fell 63-61. Can Lawrence North avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
