Basketball Game Preview: Hillcrest Christian Cougars vs. Franklin Academy Cougars

The Hillcrest Christian Cougars will challenge the Franklin Academy Cougars at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Hillcrest Christian will be strutting in after a win while Franklin Academy will be coming in after a loss.

Hillcrest Christian will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up 23 points back in December of 2024, then bounced right back against Porter's Chapel Academy last Tuesday. Hillcrest Christian claimed a resounding 60-22 victory over Porter's Chapel Academy. The contest was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 35-12.

Hillcrest Christian's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Darius Barnes, who posted 13 points in addition to five boards and four steals. Those four steals gave Barnes a new career-high. Jordan Johnson was another key player, going 5 of 6 en route to 11 points.

Meanwhile, Franklin Academy was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their ninth straight defeat dating back to last season. They were outmatched by Prairie View Academy and fell 78-10. The matchup marked the Cougars' lowest-scoring game so far this season.

Hillcrest Christian's victory was their tenth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 9-7. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 27.8 points. As for Franklin Academy, their loss dropped their record down to 0-6.

Everything came up roses for Hillcrest Christian against Franklin Academy when the teams last played back in January of 2024, as the squad secured a 67-25 win. Will Hillcrest Christian repeat their success, or does Franklin Academy have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.