Western Plains has enjoyed a three-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will take on the Dighton Hornets at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Given that the pair suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.
Last Tuesday, it was a hard-fought match, but Western Plains had to settle for a 48-46 defeat against Heartland Christian.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Jaelyn Spangler, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and ten assists. It was the first time this season that she scored 15 or more points. The team also got some help courtesy of Madelyn Kraus, who scored 19 points along with two steals.
Meanwhile, Dighton's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Tuesday after their third straight loss. They were beaten by Wichita County 62-32. While losing is never fun, Dighton can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Kansas basketball rankings (they are ranked 256th, while Wichita County is ranked 22nd).
Despite the defeat, Dighton saw an underclassman step up: Rielly James scored 11 points along with two steals. Another player making a difference was Carlie Speer, who scored five points along with five rebounds.
Western Plains' defeat dropped their record down to 2-13. As for Dighton, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five games, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-12 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Western Plains have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 25.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Dighton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.8 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Western Plains might still be hurting after the 47-23 defeat they got from Dighton when the teams last played back in December of 2023. Can Western Plains avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
