Blacksburg unfortunately couldn't capitalize on their home-court advantage in their season opener. They took a 72-62 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Chapman Panthers on Tuesday. The Wildcats were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Panthers apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in December of 2022.
Despite the loss, Blacksburg still got an impressive performance from Ziyon Harris, who went 11 for 19 en route to 34 points plus five rebounds and two steals. Another player making a difference was Saad Lavender, who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Even though they lost, Blacksburg smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Chapman only pulled down six.
Chapman's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Colt McAllister, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten rebounds. What's more, McAllister also racked up four assists, the most he's had since back in December of 2023. Colby Moon was another key player, posting 18 points along with five rebounds and three steals.
The victory snapped Chapman's losing streak at eight games dating back to last season and leaves them with a 1-2 record.
Blacksburg will head out to challenge Union County at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Blacksburg is facing Union County at the right time seeing as Union County is stuck on a three-game losing streak. As for Chapman, they and Chesnee will face off at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday without much rest after finishing up games yesterday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
