The Genoa-Hugo/Karval Pirates and the Pikes Peak Christian Eagles will face off at 6:30 p.m. on February 24th without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. Genoa-Hugo/Karval has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last four games.
With a playoff game on the line, Genoa-Hugo/Karval rose to the challenge on Friday. Everything went their way against the Pioneers as they made off with a 68-47 win. Genoa-Hugo/Karval's offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
It was another big night for Trey Smith, who went 6 for 9 from beyond the arc en route to 34 points and 3 assists. As a matter of fact, that's the most points he has scored all season. Dane Lockhart was another key contributor, scoring 12 points along with six assists.
Meanwhile, Pikes Peak Christian stacked a 13th blowout win onto their ever-increasing hoard on Friday. They breezed by Hanover on the road to the tune of 65-37. With Pikes Peak Christian ahead 39-13 at the half, the match was all but over already.
Pikes Peak Christian's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Eddie Harmon, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 13 rebounds. Harmon hasn't dropped below three steals for 11 straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of Isaiah Wehner, who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Genoa-Hugo/Karval now has a winning record of 11-10. As for Pikes Peak Christian, they have been performing well recently as they've won ten of their last 13 matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 15-5 record this season.
Saturday's contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Genoa-Hugo/Karval have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 28.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Pikes Peak Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 38.4 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Genoa-Hugo/Karval didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Pikes Peak Christian when the teams last played back in February of 2023, but they still walked away with a 64-59 win. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Pikes Peak Christian's Trey Merrill, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 15 rebounds. Now that he won't be playing on Saturday, will it be that much easier for Genoa-Hugo/Karval to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
