The Hickory Ridge Ragin' Bulls entered their tilt with the United Faith Christian Academy Falcons with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. Hickory Ridge sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 51-49 win over United Faith Christian Academy on Saturday. Given Hickory Ridge's advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 50th, while United Faith Christian Academy is ranked 199th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Hickory Ridge found their leader in underclassman Ma-kaela Gidney, who scored 17 points along with seven rebounds and three steals. The matchup was Gidney's ninth in a row with at least ten points. Sheree Gidney was another key contributor, scoring eight points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Hickory Ridge pushed their record up to 10-2 with that victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 57.3 points per game. As for United Faith Christian Academy, they have been struggling recently, as they've lost nine of their last 11 matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-10 record this season.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Hickory Ridge's road trip will continue as they head out to face A.L. Brown at 6:00 p.m. on January 3rd. As for United Faith Christian Academy, they will take on Word of God Christian Academy at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
