Basketball Game Preview: Hughson Huskies vs. Ripon Christian Knights

Hughson hasn't had much luck against Ripon Christian recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Hughson Huskies will head out to square off against the Ripon Christian Knights at 7:30 p.m. Hughson is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 54.6 points per game this season.

Last Wednesday, Hughson lost to Ripon on the road by a 60-46 margin. The Huskies have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Despite the loss, Hughson had strong showings from Jackson Gehrke, who almost dropped a double-double on 16 points and nine boards, and Karam Kang, who posted 14 points. Another player making a difference was Xavier Urquidez, who had eight points.

Meanwhile, Ripon Christian entered their tilt with Hilmar on Wednesday with three consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with four. They claimed a resounding 60-32 win over the Yellowjackets. The Knights have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won eight games by 25 points or more this season.

Ripon Christian's win came from a few key players Hughson will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jake Vander Veen, who posted 20 points. His evening made it six games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Amos Cady, who earned 15 points.

Ripon Christian's victory was their 15th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 11-4. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 62.0 points per game. As for Hughson, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-8.

Hughson came up short against Ripon Christian in their previous meeting back in January of 2024, falling 71-60. Can Hughson avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.