There's no place like home for the Northside Christian Academy Knights, who bounced back after a tough loss on the road last Saturday. They walked away with a 46-36 win over Gaston Christian on Friday. Given Northside Christian Academy's advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 19th, while Gaston Christian is ranked 89th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Kyrell Shaw was his usual excellent self, scoring 18 points along with two steals. He has been hot recently, having posted 15 or more points the last five times he's played. Another player making a difference was Jaleel Smith, who scored three points along with three steals.
Gaston Christian's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Makoi Mabor Marier, who scored 13 points along with six rebounds and three blocks. Joe Rhyne was another key contributor, scoring six points along with five rebounds.
Northside Christian Academy pushed their record up to 18-7 with that victory, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 69.0 points per game. As for Gaston Christian, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost four of their last five matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 11-12 record this season.
Northside Christian Academy won't have much time to rest: their next matchup is against The Burlington School at 4:30 p.m. on January 13th. As for Gaston Christian, they will be playing at home against Hickory Grove Christian at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Hickory Grove Christian has now lost eight straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since December 12.
