The Nickerson Panthers will face off against the Larned Indians at 8:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Nickerson can finally bid farewell to their 16-game losing streak dating back to last season thanks to their game on Tuesday. They skirted past St. John 49-46. Nickerson's offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Nickerson relied on the efforts of Riley Brawner, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten rebounds, and Alex King, who scored 15 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points King has scored all season.
Meanwhile, Larned didn't have too much breathing room in their match against Macksville on Tuesday, but they still walked away with a 47-42 victory. The victory was all the more spectacular given Larned's disadvantage in MaxPreps' Kansas basketball rankings (they are ranked 234th, while Macksville is ranked 115th).
Nickerson's victory ended a seven-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 1-7. As for Larned, their victory bumped their record up to 2-6-1.
Nickerson ended up a good deal behind Larned in their previous meeting back in January of 2023, losing 49-35. Can Nickerson avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
