Durham Academy is 8-2 against North Raleigh Christian Academy since January of 2019, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Durham Academy Cavaliers will be playing in front of their home fans against the North Raleigh Christian Academy Knights at 7:45 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
On Wednesday, Durham Academy didn't have too much breathing room in their contest against Oak Ridge Military Academy, but they still walked away with a 67-61 victory. The victory was all the more spectacular given Durham Academy's disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 216th, while Oak Ridge Military Academy is ranked 47th).
Durham Academy's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from JJ Wilcox, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 14 rebounds. Another player making a difference was Joshua Dorsette II, who scored 18 points.
North Raleigh Christian Academy posted their biggest victory since December 1, 2023 on Tuesday. They blew past Oak Forest 74-37 at home. The win made it back-to-back wins for North Raleigh Christian Academy.
North Raleigh Christian Academy relied on the efforts of Jayse Buckley, who scored 16 points along with six rebounds, and Brennen Jefferson, who scored 15 points along with six rebounds and five assists. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Buckley has scored all season. Cody Dickerson was another key contributor, scoring 12 points along with two steals.
Durham Academy's win bumped their record up to 12-10. As for North Raleigh Christian Academy, their win bumped their record up to 10-7.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Durham Academy have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 28.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like North Raleigh Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 29.8 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Durham Academy took their victory against North Raleigh Christian Academy in their previous meeting back in January of 2023 by a conclusive 85-61. Does Durham Academy have another victory up their sleeve, or will North Raleigh Christian Academy turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
