Basketball Game Preview: Genoa-Hugo/Karval Pirates vs. Bethune Bobcats

Genoa-Hugo/Karval has gone 5-0 against Bethune recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Genoa-Hugo/Karval Pirates will head out to challenge the Bethune Bobcats at 7:30 p.m. Genoa-Hugo/Karval is coming into the game on a six-game losing streak.

Genoa-Hugo/Karval is headed into the matchup out to prove that what happened against Fleming on Tuesday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Genoa-Hugo/Karval was dealt a 61-33 defeat at the hands of Fleming.

The losing side was boosted by Brady Simmons, who almost dropped a double-double on ten points and nine rebounds. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in blocks (two). Hayden Ewing also deserves some recognition as he grabbed his first steal of the season.

Meanwhile, Bethune took a blow against Arickaree on Friday, falling 59-16. The Bobcats have struggled against the Bison recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.

Josh Salinas was Bethune's leading scorer, having posted five points. Wyatt King held things down on the boards with five rebounds.

Genoa-Hugo/Karval's loss dropped their record down to 1-11. As for Bethune, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-6.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Genoa-Hugo/Karval has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 25.8 boards per game. However, it's not like Bethune struggles in that department as they've been averaging 27.3 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Genoa-Hugo/Karval strolled past Bethune in their previous matchup back in January of 2024 by a score of 46-27. The rematch might be a little tougher for Genoa-Hugo/Karval since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.