Ashe County has been on the road for two straight, but on Friday they'll finally head home. They will take on the Watauga Pioneers at 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Both teams come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Monday, Ashe County strolled past Millers Creek Christian with points to spare, taking the game 52-37.
Ashe County found their leader in underclassman Bryce Peters, who scored 14 points along with six steals. Peters is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Ian Graybeal, who scored 11 points.
Meanwhile, Watauga waltzed into their matchup on Tuesday with two straight wins but they left with three. They enjoyed a cozy 83-66 victory over Freedom. Given Watauga's advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 120th, while Freedom is ranked 280th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Watauga's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Josiah Railey, who scored 21 points along with eight rebounds and two steals. Railey has been hot recently, having posted 15 or more points the last six times he's played. Another player making a difference was Cade Keller, who scored 17 points along with eight assists and four steals.
Ashe County's win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 8-14. As for Watauga, their win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 18-5.
Friday's game is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Ashe County have been dynamite from deep this season, having made 48.1% of their threes per game. However, it's not like Watauga struggles in that department as they've made 46.5% of their threes this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Ashe County took a serious blow against Watauga in their previous matchup back in January, falling 78-38. Will Ashe County have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
