Lakewood is on a three-game streak of home losses, Neuse Charter a six-game streak of away losses, but someone's luck is about to change. The Lakewood Leopards will take on the Neuse Charter Cougars at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in North Carolina (Lakewood is ranked 601st, while Neuse Charter is ranked 599th).
Lakewood suffered their closest defeat yet this season on Wednesday. They fell just short of Clinton by a score of 50-47.
The losing side was boosted by Cameron Williams, who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 12 rebounds. Another player making a difference was Juan Parker Jr., who scored six points.
Neuse Charter posted their biggest victory yet this season on Tuesday. They were the clear victor by a 69-47 margin over Rosewood. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win Neuse Charter has posted against Rosewood since January 18, 2022.
Neuse Charter's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Jayvin Bradley led the charge by scoring 33 points along with eight rebounds and three steals. That makes it eight consecutive games in which Bradley has scored at least a third of Neuse Charter's points. Jayden Atkinson was another key contributor, dropping a double-double on 15 points and ten rebounds.
Lakewood has not been sharp recently, as they've lost six of their last seven matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-8 record this season. As for Neuse Charter, their victory bumped their record up to 6-15.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Lakewood have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 28.7 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Neuse Charter struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.3 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Lakewood came up short against Neuse Charter when the teams last played back in February of 2023, falling 56-48. Thankfully for Lakewood, Sire Holmes (who scored 23 points along with five steals) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
