The Hancock Panthers will head out on the road to take on the Union Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Hancock is no doubt hoping to put an end to a six-game streak of away losses.
Even though Faith Christian Academy scored an imposing 58 points last Thursday, Hancock still came out on top. Hancock escaped with a win against Faith Christian Academy by the margin of a single free throw, 59-58. The victory was just what Hancock needed coming off of a 70-43 defeat in their prior game.
Hancock's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Aiden McCarty, who scored 17 points along with four steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Jacob Anderson, who scored 17 points along with three steals.
Meanwhile, Union's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Wednesday after their third straight loss. They took a serious blow against Pendleton County, falling 81-38.
Union's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Eric Linkswiler, who scored 17 points along with three blocks, and Braylon Ward who scored 16 points along with six assists and five rebounds. It was the first time this season that Linkswiler scored 15 or more points.
Hancock's win bumped their record up to 4-14. As for Union, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost four of their last five matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-11 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Hancock have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 26.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Union struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Hancock didn't have too much breathing room in their match against Union in their previous meeting back in February of 2023, but they still walked away with a 69-65 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Hancock since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
