The Hickory Grove Christian Lions lost against the John Paul II Catholic Saints back in February, and unfortunately they wound up with the same result on Friday. Hickory Grove Christian took a 49-43 hit to the loss column at the hands of John Paul II Catholic. While losing is never fun, Hickory Grove Christian can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 337th, while John Paul II Catholic is ranked 56th).
Hickory Grove Christian's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Talena Frazier, who scored 19 points along with five rebounds. Those 19 points set a new season-high mark for her. Mackenzie Williams was another key contributor, scoring 15 points.
Hickory Grove Christian has been struggling recently, as they've lost six of their last seven contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-8 record this season. As for John Paul II Catholic, their victory bumped their record up to 9-2.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Hickory Grove Christian will get a bit of extra time to process the loss as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on Metrolina Christian Academy at 5:30 p.m. on January 9, 2024. After both having extra time off, John Paul II Catholic and Greenfield will shake off the cobwebs and face off against one another at 5:30 p.m. on January 2, 2024.
