Basketball Game Preview: Niles North Vikings vs. Highland Park Giants

The Niles North Vikings and the Highland Park Giants will compete for holiday cheer at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.

Niles North is headed into the contest having just suffered their biggest defeat since February 12th on Saturday. They had to suffer through a 50-17 loss at the hands of Regina Dominican. The match marked the Vikings' lowest-scoring game so far this season.

Meanwhile, Highland Park didn't have too much breathing room in their contest against Maine East on Friday, but they still walked away with a 44-40 victory. Given the Giants' advantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 124th, while the Blue Demons are ranked 455th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Niles North has traveled a rocky road recently having lost three of their last four games, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-3 record this season. As for Highland Park, they pushed their record up to 7-2 with the win, which was their third straight on the road.

Niles North came up short against Highland Park in their previous meeting back in February, falling 48-39. Will Niles North have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.