The Larned Indians will square off against the Nickerson Panthers at 8:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Tuesday, Larned didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Macksville, but they still walked away with a 47-42 win. The victory was all the more spectacular given Larned's disadvantage in MaxPreps' Kansas basketball rankings (they are ranked 234th, while Macksville is ranked 115th).
Meanwhile, Nickerson had to endure a 16-game losing streak dating back to last season, but that streak is no more. They had just enough and edged St. John out 49-46. That looming 49-46 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Nickerson yet this season.
Nickerson can attribute much of their success to Riley Brawner, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten rebounds, and Alex King, who scored 15 points. That's the first time this season that King scored 15 or more points.
Larned's victory ended a five-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 2-6-1. As for Nickerson, their win ended a seven-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 1-7.
Larned strolled past Nickerson when the teams last played back in January of 2023 by a score of 49-35. The rematch might be a little tougher for Larned since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
