Basketball Game Preview: Hamady Hawks vs. International Academy Phoenix

Hamady has won three straight games at home, while International Academy has won three straight on the road dating back to last season, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Hamady Hawks will welcome the International Academy Phoenix at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

If Hamady beats International Academy with 77 points on Friday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two matchups with that exact score. Hamady blew past Flint Southwestern Academy 77-19 on Wednesday. Given the Hawks' advantage in MaxPreps' Michigan basketball rankings (they are ranked 162nd, while the Knights are ranked 684th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Hamady's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Jody Jackson, who went 6 for 7 from beyond the arc en route to 22 points and four steals. The dominant performance gave Jackson a new career-high in points. DeQueris Mayfield was another key player, going 6 of 8 on his way to 13 points in addition to six steals and five boards.

Hamady smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in eight consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, International Academy was fully in charge on Tuesday, breezing past Morrice 60-29.

Hamady's win bumped their record up to 9-1. As for International Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 10-1.

Hamady was able to grind out a solid win over International Academy in their previous meeting back in February of 2024, winning 63-56. Will Hamady repeat their success, or does International Academy have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.