Gray's Creek hasn't had much luck against Lumberton recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Bears will head out on the road to square off against the Pirates at 7:30 p.m. Gray's Creek has given up an average of 60.2 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
On Friday, Gray's Creek lost to Douglas Byrd on the road by a 62-46 margin. While losing is never fun, the Bears can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 607th, while the Eagles are ranked 203rd).
Gray's Creek's loss came about despite a quality game from Elijah Jones, who shot 55% from the field en route to 17 points and seven boards. Ezekiel Reed was another key player, dropping a double-double with ten points and ten rebounds.
Meanwhile, Lumberton came tearing into Wednesday's game with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 15.5 points), and they left with even more momentum. They enjoyed a cozy 72-56 win over the Eagles.
Lumberton's win came from a few key players that Gray's Creek will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Christopher Hammonds, who went 7-for-11 to rack up 17 points and seven boards. He is also on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as he's posted one of at least 46% in the last seven games he's played. Another player making a difference was Nate Lawson, who shot 41% from the field on his way to 18 points.
Gray's Creek's defeat dropped their record down to 0-12. As for Lumberton, their record is now 11-2.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Gray's Creek has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 30.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Lumberton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 21.2 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Gray's Creek was dealt a bruising 69-28 loss at the hands of Lumberton when the teams last played back in February of 2025. Can the Bears avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
