Two dominant guards in Ja'Sia Booth and Jania Hayward are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. We've got a battle between Eagles coming up. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Wednesday, Airport didn't have too much trouble with Brookland-Cayce as they won 47-31. Given the Eagles' advantage in MaxPreps' South Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 98th, while the Bearcats are ranked 202nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Airport got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Angel Mayes out in front who posted ten points. Another player making a difference was Ciara Cooke, who earned ten points.
Meanwhile, Beaufort entered their tilt with Hilton Head Island on Thursday with two consecutive wins , and they'll enter their next game with three. They came within six points of losing the streak, but they secured a 50-44 W against the Seahawks.
Beaufort's win came from a few key players Airport will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Hayward, who went 6-for-15 to rack up 25 points along with seven steals and five boards. She continues to improve, besting her previous point total in each of the last four games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Carson Crosby, who had six points and seven steals.
Beaufort 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 nine offensive rebounds in three consecutive matches.
Beaufort's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-8. Those victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 51.3 points over those games. As for Airport, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 15-10.
Everything went Airport's way against Beaufort in their previous meeting back in February of 2020, as Airport made off with a 50-27 win. Will Airport repeat their success, or does Beaufort have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
