Hershey is a perfect 8-0 against Valentine since January of 2016 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Panthers will square off against Valentine at 7:30 p.m. Hershey has given up an average of 57.5 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Hershey is probably headed into the game with a chip on their shoulder considering Gothenburg just ended the team's five-game winning streak on Tuesday. They fell 65-54 to the Swedes. While losing is never fun, the Panthers can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska basketball rankings (they are ranked 83rd, while the Swedes are ranked 13th).
Jack Smith
| 01/13/26 vs Gothenburg | 8 |
| 01/09/26 vs Maxwell | 2 |
| 01/06/26 @ South Loup | 2 |
| 12/30/25 vs Twin Loup | 1 |
| 12/29/25 vs Lexington | 2 |
| + 5 more games |
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Jack Smith, who posted five points along with eight blocks and five boards. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 2.1 blocks per game. Another player making a difference was Houston Hill, who had 14 points.
Meanwhile, Valentine had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 27.8 points) and they went ahead and made it five on Tuesday. They claimed a resounding 81-26 win over the Cowboys/Cowgirls. That 55-point margin sets a new team best for Valentine this season.
Valentine's win came from a few key players that Hershey will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Dominic Beebout, who made all 7 shots he took racking up 21 points and seven assists. He is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in each of the last five games he's played. Isaac Cronin was another key player, almost dropping a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds.
Valentine's victory bumped their record up to 10-1. As for Hershey, the defeat was their first at home, dropping their record down to 6-5.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Hershey has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.9 boards per game. However, it's not like Valentine struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.8 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Hershey beat Valentine 64-56 in their previous meeting back in January of 2025. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
