The Cheraw Braves will take on the Mullins Auctioneers in a holiday battle at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday at. Cheraw is hoping to put an end to a six-game streak of away losses dating back to last season.
Last Tuesday, Cheraw came up short against York Prep and fell 58-51.
Despite their defeat, Cheraw saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. De'Shaun Drake, who scored 12 points, was perhaps the best of all. Those 12 points set a new season-high mark for him. The team also got some help courtesy of Jaden Carraway, who scored 11 points.
Meanwhile, Mullins entered their tilt with Latta with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. Mullins breezed by Latta at home to the tune of 81-34. That looming 81-34 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Mullins yet this season.
Mullins' success was spearheaded by the efforts of Deyon Ford, who scored 18 points along with six assists, and JJ Davis, who scored 21 points. The match was Ford's seventh in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Dakarai Worley, who scored four points along with seven rebounds.
Cheraw's defeat dropped their record down to 2-8. As for Mullins, their win bumped their record up to 8-2.
Tuesday's game is shaping up to be a scrappy match: Cheraw have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 30.2 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Mullins, though, as they've been averaging only 37.5 rebounds per game. Given Cheraw's sizeable advantage in that area, Mullins will need to find a way to close that gap.
Cheraw took a serious blow against Mullins in their previous matchup back in November, falling 82-36. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Davis, who scored 17 points along with five steals. Now that Cheraw knows the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
