Purvis is 2-7 against Stone since December of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Tornadoes will take on the Tomcats at 6:00 p.m. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Tuesday, Purvis took their contest with ease, bagging a 58-22 victory over Vancleave. The Tornadoes have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven matchups by 21 points or more this season.
Noa Bolar
| 01/27/26 @ Vancleave | 20 |
| 01/16/26 vs Stone | 19 |
| 12/16/25 @ Sumrall | 19 |
| 01/08/26 @ East Central | 16 |
| 01/13/26 @ Northeast Jones | 14 |
| + 15 more games |
Zoey Robinson and Noa Bolar were among the main playmakers for Purvis as the former dropped a double-double with 14 points and 17 boards and the latter shot 50% from the field on her way to 20 points and five steals. Bolar is becoming a predictor of the Tornadoes' success: when she posts at least 15 points the team is 3-1 (and 7-9 when she doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Loran Smith, who posted seven points and ten steals.
Purvis smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 17 offensive rebounds in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Stone's game on Tuesday was all tied up 10-10 at the half, but luckily for them it didn't stay that way. They had just enough and edged out East Central 26-23. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Tomcats have posted since December 27, 2024.
Stone's win came from a few key players that Purvis will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Taylor Perry, who went 5-for-11 to rack up 11 points and six rebounds. Those 11 points gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Kaedyn Myers, who earned two points in addition to 12 boards and three blocks.
The victory got Purvis back to even at 10-10. As for Stone, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-21.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Purvis has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 34 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Stone struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.4 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything went Purvis' way against Stone when the teams last played two weeks ago, as Purvis made off with a 47-26 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tornadoes since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
