Basketball Game Preview: Hope Academy vs. Rush City Tigers

Hope Academy is 0-3 against Rush City since December of 2019 but things could change on Thursday. The two teams will compete for holiday cheer at 7:00 p.m. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Hope Academy sitting on five straight wins dating back to last season and Rush City on three.

While Hope Academy didn't have the best season last year (they finished 10-23), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They managed a 62-57 victory over Hill-Murray on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Rush City was able to grind out a solid win over Greenway on Tuesday, taking the game 68-59. That nine point margin sets a new team best for the Tigers this season.

Hope Academy pushed their record up to 4-0 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 76.2 points per game. As for Rush City, they now have a winning record of 3-2.

Hope Academy came up short against Rush City in their previous meeting back in December of 2023, falling 58-52. Can Hope Academy avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.