Basketball Game Preview: James Wood Colonels vs. Handley Judges

The James Wood Colonels will square off against the Handley Judges at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

While James Wood didn't have the best season last year (they finished 9-13), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They came out on top against Liberty by a score of 48-39 back in December of 2024. Given the Colonels' advantage in MaxPreps' Virginia basketball rankings (they are ranked 132nd, while the Eagles are ranked 303rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

James Wood's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Aubrey Nail, who posted 13 points and four steals. Those 13 points gave Nail a new career-high. Ashlyn Evans was another key player, going 6 of 12 on her way to 16 points and seven rebounds.

James Wood smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in 19 consecutive matchups dating back to last season.

Meanwhile, Handley entered their tilt with Turner Ashby on Monday with three consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with four. They walked away with a 52-44 win over the Knights.

Handley's victory was their 15th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 8-1. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 36.7 points. As for James Wood, their win bumped their record up to 7-3.

James Wood was dealt a bruising 65-29 loss at the hands of Handley in their previous matchup back in February of 2024. Can James Wood avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.