On Friday, the Norfolk Collegiate Mighty Oaks faced the Manchester Lancers in a battle between two of the state's top teams. Norfolk Collegiate was just a bucket shy of victory and fell 78-77 to Manchester. Norfolk Collegiate's loss signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.
When it comes to explaining why Norfolk Collegiate lost, one person who can't be blamed is Brennan Chatman. Despite the final result, he scored 27 points. The match was Chatman's seventh in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Rashaad Williams, who scored 17 points.
Norfolk Collegiate's defeat dropped their record down to 12-2. As for Manchester, their victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-2.
Norfolk Collegiate won't have much time to rest: their next matchup is against Severn School at 1:00 p.m. on December 30, 2023. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in their respective states (Severn School is ranked 33rd in Maryland, while Norfolk Collegiate is ranked 11th in Virginia). Manchester will have some time to savor their victory since their next game is a little ways off: they'll take on Richmond City School of the Arts at 7:15 p.m. on January 10th. Richmond City School of the Arts is still on the hunt for that elusive first 'W'.
