The Hitchcock-Tulare Patriots will head out on the road to face off against the Aberdeen Christian Knights at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this match.
Last Friday, Hitchcock-Tulare ended up a good deal behind Wessington Springs and lost 49-35. While losing is never fun, Hitchcock-Tulare can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' South Dakota basketball rankings (they are ranked 120th, while Wessington Springs is ranked 35th).
Despite their loss, Hitchcock-Tulare saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Cambree Hoekman, who scored 14 points, was perhaps the best of all. Another player making a difference was Isabel Gilbert, who scored six points.
Meanwhile, Aberdeen Christian's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their fifth straight defeat. They ended up on the wrong side of a tough 43-21 walloping at the hands of Roncalli. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Aberdeen Christian in their matchups with Roncalli: they've now lost six in a row.
Hitchcock-Tulare's loss dropped their record down to 5-13. As for Aberdeen Christian, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-15.
Everything came up roses for Hitchcock-Tulare against Aberdeen Christian in their previous matchup back in February of 2023 as the squad secured a 55-26 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Hitchcock-Tulare since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
