Basketball Game Preview: Hickory Grove Christian Lions vs. Carolina Day Wildcats

The Hickory Grove Christian Lions will square off against the Carolina Day Wildcats at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. Hickory Grove Christian will come into the game with an undefeated record on the line.

While Hickory Grove Christian didn't have the best season last year (they finished 12-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They snuck past Union Academy with a 46-40 win on Thursday. Those 46 points were actually the fewest the Lions have put up all season, but given the result they're probably not too concerned.

Caleb Nelson

Points (Career)

12/04/25 @ Union Academy	17
12/28/24 vs Johnson County	16
11/18/25 vs Greater Cabarrus Athletic Association	14
11/14/25 vs Liberty Preparatory Christian Academy	13
11/21/25 @ Coastal Christian	10

Hickory Grove Christian's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Caleb Nelson, who went 7-for-11 to rack up 17 points. Those 17 points gave Nelson a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Micah Bradley, who posted ten points.

Meanwhile, Carolina Day ended up a good deal behind Gaston Day on Friday and lost 84-66. The loss continues a trend for the Wildcats in their meetings with the Spartans: they've now lost three in a row.

Hickory Grove Christian's win bumped their record up to 6-0. As for Carolina Day, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-3.

Hickory Grove Christian beat Carolina Day 72-65 in their previous meeting back in December of 2019. Do the Lions have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Wildcats turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.