Basketball Game Preview: Alexander Central Cougars vs. Watauga Pioneers

The Alexander Central Cougars will venture away from home to face off against the Watauga Pioneers at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.

Watauga will be up against a hot Alexander Central squad: the team just extended their winning streak to three. Alexander Central walked away with a 61-52 win over Ashe County on Friday.

Alexander Central got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Meredith Wike out in front who dropped a double-double on 17 points and 15 boards. What's more, Wike also racked up six assists, the most she's had since back in February of 2024. Another player making a difference was Faith Burch, who posted 15 points and eight rebounds.

Alexander Central smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 12 offensive boards in five consecutive games.

Meanwhile, Watauga fought the good fight in their overtime contest against South Caldwell on Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Spartans by a score of 93-91. The Pioneers' loss signaled the end of their eight-game winning streak.

Alexander Central's record is now 13-7. As for Watauga, their defeat was their first in the conference, dropping their conference record down to 5-1 and their overall record down to 13-5.

Alexander Central came up short against Watauga when the teams last played back in January, falling 48-44. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Watauga's Kate Sears, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 18 boards. Now that Alexander Central knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.