The Paxton Bobcats will head out on the road to take on the Jay Royals at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Paxton is looking to tack on another W to their six-game streak on the road.
Last Wednesday, Paxton was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 51-47 to Central.
The losing side was boosted by Hydie Varnum, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 12 rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Marley McClelland, who scored seven points along with seven rebounds.
Even though they lost, Paxton smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Central only pulled down three offensive rebounds.
Meanwhile, two teams were on the hunt for playoff glory, but only Jay walked away with it. They walked away with a 56-47 victory over the Jaguars on Friday. The victory was familiar territory for Jay who now have four in a row.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Jay to victory, but perhaps none more so than Presley Hawthorne, who scored 17 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Hawthorne has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Hattie Locklin, who scored ten points along with seven rebounds and three blocks.
Paxton's loss ended a three-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 19-4. As for Jay, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 20-4 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Paxton have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 30.5 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Jay struggles in that department as they've been averaging 36.2 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Paxton came up short against Jay in their previous matchup back in December of 2023, falling 44-38. Can Paxton avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
