Bunker Hill hasn't had much luck against Newton-Conover recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Bunker Hill Bears will take on the Newton-Conover Red Devils in a tournament on Friday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with four losses in a row, Bunker Hill turned things around against West Caldwell on Friday. The stars were shining brightly for them in a 46-32 win over the Warriors. The score was all tied up 16-16 at the break, but the Bears were the better team in the second half.
| 12/20/24 @ West Caldwell | 6 |
| 12/13/24 vs Lincolnton | 2 |
| 12/10/24 vs South Iredell | 2 |
| 12/09/24 @ North Iredell | 3 |
| 12/06/24 vs St. Stephens | 3 |
| 12/04/24 vs West Iredell | 2 |
Bunker Hill got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Eliana McClain out in front who went 5 for 9 on her way to 13 points and six steals. McClain is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last six games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Bailee Carswell, who posted 11 points and seven rebounds.
Bunker Hill smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in 12 consecutive games dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Newton-Conover, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Monday. They breezed by Lincolnton to the tune of 68-40 on Friday. The Red Devils have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five contests by 22 points or more this season.
Bunker Hill better keep an eye on Grayson Rowe. She was instrumental in Newton-Conover's win, going 7 of 9 on her way to 20 points in addition to eight steals and six assists. The dominant performance gave Rowe a new career-high in steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Jenna Sain, who dropped a double-double on ten points and 14 boards.
Newton-Conover pushed their record up to 6-1 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 29.2 points. As for Bunker Hill, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 3-6.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Bunker Hill has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 40.2 boards per game. However, it's not like Newton-Conover struggles in that department as they've been averaging 32.7 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Bunker Hill and Newton-Conover were neck-and-neck in their previous meeting back in February, but Bunker Hill came up empty-handed after a 38-37 defeat. Can Bunker Hill avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
