Basketball Game Preview: Arcadia Firebirds vs. Northampton Yellowjackets

Arcadia hasn't had much luck against Northampton recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Arcadia Firebirds will take on the Northampton Yellowjackets at 7:00 p.m. Arcadia has been dominant on offense recently, having racked up an incredible 211 points over their last three games.

Last Tuesday, Arcadia took their contest with ease, bagging a 74-41 victory over Chincoteague. The Firebirds have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four matches by 21 points or more this season.

Jordan Cropper was his usual excellent self, dropping a double-double on 25 points and ten boards. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 2.2 steals per game. The team also got some help courtesy of Ryhiem Pettit, who posted eight points and ten rebounds.

Meanwhile, Northampton didn't have quite enough to beat Nandua on Tuesday and fell 51-48. The game marked the Yellowjackets' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.

Despite the loss, Northampton saw an underclassman step up: freshman Jasheem Collins went 9 for 22 on his way to 21 points along with five boards and three steals. Another player making a difference was Timothy McCaskill, who almost dropped a double-double on nine points and 11 rebounds.

Even though they lost, Northampton smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in seven consecutive matchups.

Northampton's defeat dropped their record down to 3-8. As for Arcadia, their win bumped their record up to 7-5.

Arcadia came up short against Northampton when the teams last played back in February of 2024, falling 60-50. Can Arcadia avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.