The Watauga Pioneers basketball team (Boone, NC), was nudged 64-62 in Friday's non-league battle with the visiting Apex Friendship Patriots (Apex, NC)

The Patriots now possess a 7-4 record. They put it on the line next when they host Apex for a 4A Conference 29 battle on Tuesday, January 3. Apex Friendship will confront a Cougars team coming off a 40-38 non-league loss to Riverside-Durham (Durham, NC). The Cougars record now stands at 2-10.

The Pioneers (6-6) will now prepare for their battle against Central Davidson (Lexington, NC). The Spartans come into the non-league battle with a 9-4 record. In their last battle, Central Davidson edged Hickory Christian Academy (Hickory, NC), 72-68, in a non-league battle.