Basketball Game Preview: Hammond Skyhawks vs. Ben Lippen Falcons

Having just played yesterday, the Hammond Skyhawks will get right back to it and host the Ben Lippen Falcons at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Ben Lippen took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Hammond, who comes in off a win.

Hammond is returning to their home court after beating Heathwood Hall Episcopal on theirs, despite the fact Heathwood Hall Episcopal has dominated at home this season. Hammond snuck past Heathwood Hall Episcopal with a 48-43 win on Friday. The victory continues a trend for the Skyhawks in their matchups with the Highlanders: they've now won six in a row.

Meanwhile, Ben Lippen was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their fourth straight loss. They were five points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 70-65 heartbreaker at the hands of Augusta Christian. While losing is never fun, the Falcons can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' basketball rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 52nd in South Carolina, while the Lions are ranked ninth in Georgia).

Hammond pushed their record up to 15-4 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. Those victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 63.8 points over those games. As for Ben Lippen, their defeat dropped their record down to 17-7.

Hammond took their victory against Ben Lippen in their previous matchup last Tuesday by a conclusive 67-45. Will Hammond repeat their success, or does Ben Lippen have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.