Norfolk Christian is 9-1 against Hampton Roads Academy since January of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Norfolk Christian Ambassadors will face off against the Hampton Roads Academy Navigators at 5:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hampton Roads Academy will be up against a hot Norfolk Christian team: the squad just extended their winning streak to five. Norfolk Christian claimed a resounding 95-13 win over Cape Henry Collegiate. Given the Ambassadors' advantage in MaxPreps' Virginia basketball rankings (they are ranked fifth, while the Dolphins are ranked 174th), the result on Thursday wasn't entirely unexpected.
Tamia Dyson
| 02/06/25 vs Cape Henry Collegiate | 5 |
| 01/28/25 vs Steward | 2 |
| 01/18/25 @ King's Fork | 1 |
| 01/14/25 @ Nansemond-Suffolk Academy | 1 |
| 12/28/24 vs Menchville | 1 |
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Norfolk Christian to victory, but perhaps none more so than Tamia Dyson, who almost dropped a double-double on 22 points and nine rebounds. The dominant performance also gave Dyson a new career-high in blocks (five). Another player making a difference was Keira Kilkenny, who went 7 of 13 en route to 15 points along with eight boards and six steals.
Norfolk Christian smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 20 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in four consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Hampton Roads Academy entered their tilt with Veritas School on Friday with three consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with four. They took their game with ease, bagging a 51-15 victory over the Lions. That's two games straight that the Navigators have won by exactly 36 points.
Hampton Roads Academy's win came from a few key players Norfolk Christian will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Abby Fiala, who went 8 for 15 on her way to 18 points and five steals. She continues to improve, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. Nalani Carter was another key player, putting up 12 points and six rebounds.
Hampton Roads Academy pushed their record up to 17-2 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. The wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 21.0 points over those games. As for Norfolk Christian, their record is now 17-2.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Norfolk Christian has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 33.5 boards per game. However, it's not like Hampton Roads Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 38.8 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Norfolk Christian against Hampton Roads Academy in their previous meeting back in January of 2024, as the squad secured a 60-15 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Norfolk Christian since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
