Despite a phenomenal run in the regular season, Hopewell couldn't carry that success into this playoff game. They came up short against the Lake Norman Wildcats on Friday, falling 85-63. While losing is never fun, the Titans can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 55th, while the Wildcats are ranked fifth).
Lake Norman got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Tre McKinnon out in front who posted 37 points along with eight rebounds and three steals. McKinnon's evening made it five games in a row in which he has scored at least 16 points. Another player making a difference was Trent Steinour, who dropped a double-double with 21 points and 17 boards.
Hopewell's defeat ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 20-8. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 66.7 points over those games. As for Lake Norman, the win (which was their 18th in a row) raised their record to 27-1.
Hopewell does not have any more games scheduled as of now. As for Lake Norman, they will be playing at home against Myers Park at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Lake Norman knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with 55 points or more in their past 28 contests -- so hopefully Myers Park likes a good challenge.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
