New Hope Academy will look to defend their home court on Thursday against the Fairfax Christian Cardinals at 7:00 p.m. New Hope Academy knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with flashy point totals in its past 24 matches -- so hopefully Fairfax Christian likes a good challenge.
New Hope Academy pushed their score all the way to 57 on Tuesday, but even that wasn't enough to win. They took a serious blow against Clinton Grace, falling 84-57. While losing is never fun, New Hope Academy can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Maryland basketball rankings (they are ranked 89th, while Clinton Grace is ranked eighth).
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Jalen Martinez, who scored 18 points. Another player making a difference was DJ Thomas, who scored 17 points.
Meanwhile, after a string of four wins, Fairfax Christian's good fortune finally ran out on Thursday. They took a 68-53 bruising from Rock Creek Christian Academy.
Loss or not, Fairfax Christian got some senior leadership from Alex Mostashari and Nijel Howard. Mostashari scored 15 points, while Howard. scored ten points along with six rebounds and three steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Ke'Juan Richburg, who scored six points along with six assists.
New Hope Academy has been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 15-19 record this season. As for Fairfax Christian, their defeat dropped their record down to 26-6.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: New Hope Academy have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 24.9 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Fairfax Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 36.1 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
New Hope Academy came up short against Fairfax Christian when the teams last played on Wednesday, falling 78-70. Will New Hope Academy have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
