Harding Academy is 8-2 against First Assembly Christian since January of 2015, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Harding Academy Lions will look to defend their home court against the First Assembly Christian Crusaders at 6:00 p.m. Harding Academy will be looking to keep their 14-game home win streak (dating back to last season) alive.
In what's become a running theme this season, Harding Academy gave their fans yet another huge win on Friday. They blew past St. George's 62-32 at home. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win Harding Academy has posted since December 7, 2023.
Harding Academy's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Niya Evans, who scored 11 points along with six rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Emory Miller, who scored eight points.
Meanwhile, First Assembly Christian was able to grind out a solid victory over Lausanne Collegiate on Thursday, taking the game 60-47. The victory made it back-to-back wins for First Assembly Christian.
First Assembly Christian's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Kamdyn Thomas led the charge by scoring 14 points along with five steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Thomas has scored all season. Danae Kennedy was another key contributor, dropping a double-double on 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Harding Academy's victory bumped their record up to 10-7. As for First Assembly Christian, their win bumped their record up to 6-9.
Friday's matchup is shaping up to be a scrappy game: Harding Academy have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 31.2 rebounds per game. It's a different story for First Assembly Christian, though, as they've been averaging only 41.6 rebounds per game. Given Harding Academy's sizeable advantage in that area, First Assembly Christian will need to find a way to close that gap.
Harding Academy came up short against First Assembly Christian when the teams last played back in January of 2023, falling 58-52. Thankfully for Harding Academy, Daejah Richmond (who dropped a double-double on 20 points and 11 rebounds) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.