After having lost a blowout in their previous game against Pueblo West, the Air Academy Kadets were happy to have found some success on Tuesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 53-51 win over Palmer Ridge. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory Air Academy has posted yet this season.
Leading Air Academy to victory were Max Howery and Noah Hellem. Howery scored 14 points along with six steals and five assists, while Hellem scored 26 points along with three steals. That makes it four consecutive games in which Hellem has scored at least a third of Air Academy's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Tommy Tygart, who scored three points.
Air Academy's win bumped their record up to 6-11. As for Palmer Ridge, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost three of their last four games, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-8 record this season.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Air Academy will challenge Lutheran at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Lutheran knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past seven matches -- so hopefully Air Academy likes a good challenge. As for Palmer Ridge, they will head out on the road to face off against Cheyenne Mountain at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Cheyenne Mountain has now lost nine straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since December 12.
