Basketball Game Preview: Kouts Mustangs & Fillies vs. Hanover Central Wildcats

Kouts and Hanover Central are an even 5-5 against one another since December of 2015, but not for long. The Mustangs & Fillies are taking a road trip to square off against the Wildcats at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Kouts is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 57.1 points per game this season.

Hanover Central will face off against a team with plenty of momentum: Kouts extended their winning streak to three on Saturday. The Mustangs & Fillies simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Portage 58-14. With the Mustangs & Fillies ahead 33-5 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.

Avery Elijah

Steals

11/22/25 vs Portage	7
11/20/25 @ North Judson-San Pierre	7
11/18/25 @ DeMotte Christian	9
11/13/25 vs Kankakee Valley	11
11/11/25 @ Marquette Catholic	2
+ 2 more games

Avery Elijah and Bella Birky were among the main playmakers for Kouts as the former shot 64% from the field to rack up 14 points in addition to seven steals and five rebounds and the latter went 6-for-10 on her way to 14 points along with six assists and five steals. Elijah is crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Anna Overholt was another key player, putting up ten points.

Kouts smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in four consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Hanover Central ended up a good deal behind Lowell on Tuesday and lost 52-38. The Wildcats have struggled against the Red Devils recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost matchup.

Kouts' record now sits at 5-2. As for Hanover Central, their loss dropped their record down to 2-4.

Kouts lost to Hanover Central on the road by a decisive 51-32 margin when the teams last played back in November of 2024. Can the Mustangs & Fillies avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.