Chapman hasn't had much luck against Blue Ridge recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Chapman Panthers will be home for the holidays to greet the Blue Ridge Fighting Tigers at 6:00 p.m. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
Last Tuesday, Chapman came up short against Walhalla and fell 53-42. The Panthers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
| 12/17/24 @ Walhalla | 17 |
| 12/16/24 @ Blue Ridge | 14 |
| 12/11/24 vs Chesnee | 13 |
| 12/10/24 vs Blacksburg | 4 |
| 12/04/24 @ Chesnee | 4 |
Despite the defeat, Chapman saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Annastyn Smith went 6 of 15 on her way to 17 points and eight rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Smith has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Kara Twitty, who posted six points along with nine rebounds and three steals.
Meanwhile, Blue Ridge entered their contest against Fountain Inn on Thursday without any home losses, but there's a first time for everything. Blue Ridge took a 58-51 hit to the loss column at the hands of Fountain Inn. While the Fighting Tigers didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Fury 13-9 in the first quarter.
Chapman will have to keep a close watch on Opal Maralit and Kaydin Sullivan, a pair of players who had a big impact on Blue Ridge's prior game. Maralit went 6 for 12 on her way to 15 points in addition to seven boards and five steals, while Sullivan put up 19 points. Maralit is crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least three every time she's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Audrey Harkins, who had eight points.
Blue Ridge's loss ended a five-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 6-3. As for Chapman, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-4.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Chapman has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 27.9 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Blue Ridge struggles in that department as they've been averaging 32.4 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Chapman came up short against Blue Ridge in their previous matchup on Monday, falling 44-37. Will Chapman 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.
