Anson hasn't had much luck against Cheraw recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Anson Bearcats will look to defend their home court against the Cheraw Braves at 6:00 p.m. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
Anson easily dispatched Central last Thursday, but unfortunately both the margin and the ultimate result were a different story in this one. Anson fell just short of Piedmont by a score of 34-31 last Friday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Bearcats have suffered since November 22, 2023.
| 12/20/24 @ Piedmont | 11 |
| 12/19/24 vs Central | 8 |
| 12/13/24 @ Chesterfield | 10 |
| 12/11/24 vs South Stanly | 8 |
Anson's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Dorhianna Rivers, who posted seven points and 12 rebounds, and Titiyanna Burns, who put up seven points along with 11 rebounds and five steals. Burns is on a roll when it comes to boards, as she's now pulled down eight or more in the last four games she's played.
Even though they lost, Anson smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 13 offensive rebounds in four consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Cheraw fought the good fight in their overtime game against Hartsville on Monday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell to the Red Foxes 53-49. The Braves haven't had much luck with the Red Foxes recently, as the team's come up short the last six times they've met.
Anson will need focus on slowing down Anyah Banks, one of several Cheraw players who made an impact when they last played. She almost dropped a double-double on 14 points and nine rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Sa'Nya Murray, who posted 16 points and six rebounds.
Cheraw's loss dropped their record down to 8-4. As for Anson, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-5.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Anson has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 34.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Cheraw struggles in that department as they've been averaging 33.4 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Anson suffered a grim 55-34 defeat to Cheraw when the teams last played back in January. Will Anson have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
