Basketball Game Preview: Apex Cougars vs. Holly Springs Golden Hawks + How To Watch

Apex hasn't had much luck against Holly Springs recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The two teams will compete for holiday cheer at 6:00 p.m. Apex has given up an average of 65 points per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Apex is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Apex Friendship on Tuesday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Cougars were beaten by the Patriots 72-32. The Cougars were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 49-20.

Meanwhile, Holly Springs lost to Wake Forest on the road by a 69-50 margin on Tuesday. While losing is never fun, the Golden Hawks can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 339th, while the Cougars are ranked 162nd).

Despite the defeat, Holly Springs saw an underclassman step up: sophomore JP Portland went 7-for-14 en route to 19 points and eight boards. Those 19 points set a new season-high mark for Portland. Chase Olgine was another key player, putting up 12 points and six rebounds.

Holly Springs' loss dropped their record down to 2-5. As for Apex, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-6.

Apex might still be hurting after the 71-49 loss they got from Holly Springs in their previous meeting back in February. Can the Cougars avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.