Basketball Game Preview: New Bern Christian Academy vs. Hilltop Christian Chargers

Two dominant guards in KC Peter and Caleb Manriquez are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. New Bern Christian Academy will look to defend their home court on Thursday against the Hilltop Christian Chargers at 5:30 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

On Tuesday, New Bern Christian Academy strolled past Gramercy Christian with points to spare, taking the game 53-34. Given New Bern Christian Academy's advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 162nd, while Gramercy Christian is ranked 581st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Peter was his usual excellent self, almost dropping a double-double on 16 points and nine rebounds. His evening made it four games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Tyler Willis, who posted eight points and four steals.

Meanwhile, Hilltop Christian entered their tilt with Wilson Christian Academy on Tuesday with eight consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with nine. They blew past the Chargers 71-45. Hilltop Christian has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won ten matches by 21 points or more this season.

New Bern Christian Academy is also on a roll lately: they've won 14 of their last 15 games, which provided a nice bump to their 21-4 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 59.1 points per game. As for Hilltop Christian, their win was their 14th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 17-3.

New Bern Christian Academy came up short against Hilltop Christian in their previous meeting back in January of 2024, falling 60-51. Will New Bern Christian Academy have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.