Record Sports Editor Chris Hobbs’ picks for Friday night’s top high school basketball games in the Greater Hickory area (girls’ games tip at about 6:15 p.m., boys’ games follow):
GIRLS
Hickory (18-1, 7-0) at Alexander Central (15-4, 7-1): It’s arguably the biggest girls’ basketball game in Taylorsville in at least three decades.
Hickory won 58-44 on Jan. 3 at Hickory in the game that separates the teams by a half-game in the Northwestern 3A-4A standings, so this one is for the conference lead.
The Red Tornadoes have won 25 straight in the series and 17 straight times in Taylorsville, where the last Cougars win over Hickory was 59-57 in overtime on Feb. 23, 1989.
West Caldwell (7-8, 5-4) at Bandys (17-1, 8-1): How will Bandys rebound from its first loss, 81-61 on Tuesday night at Newton-Conover?
The Warriors gave the Trojans a tough game on Jan. 3 in Lenoir before Bandys won by seven points.
Things are usually a great deal tougher for West Caldwell in Bost-Matheson gym, where it has no wins in 16 visits.
Bandys, 28-5 all-time against West Caldwell, is 383-77 at home since the 1970-71 season.
BOYS
Hickory (17-2, 7-0) at Alexander Central (14-5, 7-1): For sheer excitement, the Red Tornadoes and Cougars have made sure of late to crank it up a notch.
They’ve met twice this year -- in the Catawba Valley Classic and at Hickory – and Hickory twice hit last-second shots to win, 67-64 in the Classic and 60-58 in OT at Craft Gym.
Although the Red Tornadoes have won 11 straight in the series and 16 of 20, nine games have had a win margin of eight or fewer points.
Hickory leads Alexander Central by a half-game in the Northwestern 3A-4A standings, and the Red Tornadoes’ 14-game win streak has them on the cusp of wrapping up the league’s No. 1 3A state playoff berth.
East Burke (14-5, 8-1) at Newton-Conover (11-8, 6-3): The Cavs need a win to stay on the heels of Catawba Valley Athletic 2A leader West Caldwell, while the Red Devils are tied for third place with Draughn.
East Burke has won four straight in the series and 10 of the last 15, including a well-remembered 117-110 triple OT victory two seasons ago in Lemon Gym.
They’ve split the last six games played at Newton-Conover.
LOOKING AHEAD
Two Tuesday night games you might want to consider attending:
-- In the Catawba Valley Athletic 2A, the boys’ game that probably decides the conference champion – East Burke at West Caldwell – is on tap. The Warriors beat the Cavs by 20 points in Icard.
-- In the Northwestern 3A-4A, it’s the South Caldwell girls at Hickory. What it does to the league race depends on games on Friday.
Right now, Hickory is a half-game ahead of Alexander Central and 1 ½ games up on South Caldwell.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement