For the first time this season, Ashbrook will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will venture away from home to face off against the Huss Huskies at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Ashbrook has given up an average of 53.6 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Ashbrook is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against North Lincoln on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Greenwave came up short against the Knights, falling 63-40. The Greenwave were down 47-24 at the end of the third quarter, which was just too much to recover from.
Despite their defeat, Ashbrook saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Tyler Morgan, who shot 45% from the field on his way to 10 points and five rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. Another player making a difference was Antonio Worthy, who posted 13 points.
Meanwhile, Huss came tearing into Friday's contest with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 14 points), and they left with even more momentum. They enjoyed a cozy 78-62 victory over the Rams.
Huss' win came from a few key players Ashbrook will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Zaiyir 'Zii' Phillips, who went 5-for-11 to rack up 21 points along with six assists and five boards. He is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in each of the last seven games he's played dating back to last season. Jaleel Smith was another key player, shooting 46% from the field en route to 21 points in addition to eight rebounds and seven assists.
Ashbrook now has a losing record of 2-3. As for Huss, their win bumped their record up to 5-1.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Ashbrook has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 28.6 boards per game. However, it's not like Huss struggles in that department as they've been averaging 33.3 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Ashbrook couldn't quite finish off Huss in their previous matchup back in March and fell 51-48. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Smith, who went 10-for-18 on his way to 25 points and five boards. Now that the Greenwave know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? There's only one way to find out.
