The Tuscola Mountaineers's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Friday after their sixth straight defeat. They took a hard 73-54 fall against Smoky Mountain. Tuscola was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Smoky Mountain apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in January.
Despite the loss, Tuscola still got an impressive performance from Jed West, who scored 25 points along with six rebounds and six steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points West has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Jeremy Horton, who scored 12 points along with seven rebounds and three blocks.
Smoky Mountain found their leader in underclassman Custer Prenger, who dropped a double-double on 21 points and 20 rebounds. Prenger is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last eight games he's played. Another player making a difference was Ace Prenger, who scored 14 points along with five steals.
Tuscola dropped their record down to 1-18 with that defeat, which was their 20th straight at home dating back to last season. That rough patch can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 50.9 points per game. As for Smoky Mountain, their win ended a 15-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 5-18.
Tuscola will face off against West Henderson at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday. West Henderson knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past three games -- so hopefully Tuscola likes a good challenge. As for Smoky Mountain, they will be playing at home against East Henderson at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Smoky Mountain has been dominant on offense recently, as they've racked up an incredible 343 points over their last five matches.
