Basketball Game Preview: Hitchcock-Tulare Patriots vs. Northwestern Area Wildcats

The Hitchcock-Tulare Patriots will head out to challenge the Northwestern Area Wildcats at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday. Northwestern Area took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on Hitchcock-Tulare, who comes in off a win.

Hitchcock-Tulare will bounce into Thursday's game after beating Iroquois/Lake Preston, who they had gone 0-4 against in their four prior meetings. Hitchcock-Tulare enjoyed a cozy 42-27 victory over Iroquois/Lake Preston on Tuesday. The score was all tied up 13-13 at the break, but the Patriots were the (much) better team in the second half.

Hitchcock-Tulare got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Cambree Hoekman out in front who posted 12 points. Another player making a difference was Katelyn Schroeder, who went 6 for 13 on her way to 13 points and seven rebounds.

Hitchcock-Tulare smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in eight consecutive contests dating back to last season.

Meanwhile, Northwestern Area's undefeated season came to an end after three games back in December of 2024. They took a 53-40 hit to the loss column at the hands of Roncalli. The loss was the Wildcats' first of the season.

Hitchcock-Tulare now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Northwestern Area, their defeat ended a seven-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 3-1.

Hitchcock-Tulare didn't have too much breathing room in their match against Northwestern Area when the teams last played back in January of 2024, but they still walked away with a 47-42 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Hitchcock-Tulare since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.