The Ridgecroft Rams will face off against the Halifax Academy Vikings at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday.
Ridgecroft saw some tournament action on Friday. They fell to Lawrence Academy 51-45. The Rams haven't had much luck with the Warriors recently, as the team's come up short the last three times they've met.
Hannah Slaughter
| 02/07/25 @ Lawrence Academy | 2 |
| 02/05/25 vs Albemarle School | 2 |
| 01/31/25 @ Lawrence Academy | 3 |
| 01/30/25 vs Pungo Christian Academy | 2 |
Despite the loss, Ridgecroft saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Hannah Slaughter went 8-for-15 on her way to 17 points and six assists. Slaughter is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last four games she's played. Kaitlyn Cordrey was another key player, putting up four points and nine boards.
Meanwhile, it's playoff time, and Halifax Academy had no trouble coming through when it counted. They were the clear victor by a 44-19 margin over Statesville Christian on Tuesday. Given the Vikings' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 223rd, while the Lions are ranked 450th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Halifax Academy's win came from a few key players Ridgecroft will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Carolina Corum, who went 6-for-8 en route to 12 points along with six rebounds and three steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Hayden Barlow, who went 6-for-14 to rack up 12 points in addition to five boards and three steals.
Ridgecroft's defeat dropped their record down to 15-6. As for Halifax Academy, they have been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight contests, which provided a nice bump to their 11-9 record this season.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Ridgecroft has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.3 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Halifax Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.3 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Ridgecroft didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Halifax Academy in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, but they still walked away with a 46-42 victory. Will Ridgecroft repeat their success, or does Halifax Academy have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
