Basketball Recap: Elayna Mcfarland's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Lee Christian over North Hills Christian

If Lee Christian was feeling good fresh off their 56-28 takedown of Haw River Christian Academy last Monday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The Lee Christian Falcons took a 40-32 hit to the loss column at the hands of the North Hills Christian Eagles on Thursday. The Falcons have struggled against the Eagles recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive lost matchup.

Lee Christian lost despite a true team effort on offense, the best among them being Elayna McFarland, who posted seven points and 16 rebounds. McFarland has been hot for a while, having posted eight or more rebounds the last 13 times she's played. Kaleigh Wilson was another key player, putting up six points and six rebounds.

Even though they lost, Lee Christian smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 12 offensive boards in four consecutive matchups.

Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead North Hills Christian to victory, but perhaps none more so than Reese Merrell, who had 14 points along with eight boards and six steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Ava Kibler, who dropped a double-double on ten points and 11 boards.

Lee Christian's defeat dropped their record down to 2-11. As for North Hills Christian, the victory was the third in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 7-3.

Lee Christian will have a little extra prep time after the loss as they won't be playing again for a while. They'll take on Cape Fear Christian Academy at 5:30 p.m. on January 7, 2025. North Hills Christian will also get a bit of a break before their next game: they'll face off against Statesville Christian at 5:30 p.m. on January 9, 2025.