Islands is 0-3 against the Bears since January of 2023 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Islands Sharks will stay at home for another game and welcome the Burke County Bears at 7:30 p.m. on February 6th. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Last Friday, Islands ended up a good deal behind the Phoenix and lost 81-62. While losing is never fun, Islands can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Georgia basketball rankings (they are ranked 376th, while the Phoenix are ranked 60th).
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Braylen Butterworth, who scored 16 points along with six assists and six rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Jordan Cave, who scored 17 points.
Meanwhile, Burke County sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 65-62 win over the Yellow Jackets on Friday.
Burke County's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Kelly Williams, who scored 20 points along with seven rebounds. Bryce Wimberly was another key contributor, dropping a double-double on 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Islands has not been sharp recently as the team's lost eight of their last nine matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-13 record this season. As for Burke County, their win bumped their record up to 16-6.
Tuesday's matchup is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Islands have been dynamite from deep this season, having made 38.2% of their threes per game. However, it's not like Burke County struggles in that department as they've made 42.4% of their threes this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Islands might still be hurting after the 82-60 defeat they got from the Bears in their previous matchup back in January. Will Islands have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
