Hickory Christian grounds Firebirds on Knights' senior night
The Hickory Christian Academy boys’ basketball team was firing on all cylinders from the opening tip Friday night at the Tate Center. The Knights scored early and scored often while highlighting their seniors in a 67-19 win over the Challenger Firebirds.
HCA improves to 12-7 on the campaign. Challenger is now 4-9.
Coach Gary Bowne couldn’t have asked for a better first half from the Knights.
“No, we really couldn’t. Looked at the kids, they played unselfishly. The energy they came out with,” Bowne said, citing the 50-50 balls his team corralled. “We played at the level we want to play with, get after it all the time. I was glad to see it.”
HCA played a perfect game at both ends of the court in the first half – especially in the first quarter – on Senior Night. The Knights captured the opening tip and Andy Cook drove the left side for two. That started an avalanche that quickly buried the Firebirds under a 21-0 deficit five and a half minutes later.
Five different Knights scored in the opening blitz, including a breakaway dunk by Cook and a three-ball from Will Miller.
Dylan Mauney finally got Challenger on the scoreboard at the 3:12 mark with a free throw.
The Knights hit the first four shots they took and were 12 of 18 from the field, six of six from the free throw line and committed just one turnover in the first eight minutes that concluded with HCA in front, 31-5.
Conversely, the Firebirds committed 12 turnovers including four of their first five possessions.
The Knights consistently opened up seams in the Firebirds’ defense with their quick ball-movement attack.
“That’s something we take a lot of pride in doing,” Bowne said. “We’ve got unselfish players and it makes it easy to coach them.”
HCA’s offense slowed in the second quarter, but only a little, as Bowne went to his bench and shuffled players in and out throughout the period. Although the second quarter was Challenger’s best of the night offensively, the gap continued to grow between the two teams on the scoreboard and by the half HCA had a 36-point cushion, 52-16.
Seven Knights scored in the first half as the HCA attack clicked whether going inside or firing from the perimeter.
“That’s the way we play,” Bowne said. “Inside-out or outside-in.”
Pace slowed considerably in the second half, due in part to a running clock that began with more than two minutes to go in the third period.
HCA, which is third in the NCISAA Southern Piedmont Conference, has already qualified for the postseason.
“We know we’re in the playoffs. We just have to get healthy,” Bowne said. “We’re beat up right now and sick. We’ve got a week to get ready.”
Cook led all scorers with 21 points. Miller dropped in 11 and Owen Duncan had 10.
Riley Wilson led Challenger with 12 points.
Challenger will host Mountain View Christian Academy on Monday. Hickory Christian Academy will travel to Statesville Christian on Tuesday.
Girls: Hickory Christian 50, Challenger 12
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The Hickory Christian Academy boys’ basketball team was firing on all cylinders from the opening tip Friday night at the Tate Center. The Knights scored early and scored often while highlighting their seniors in a 67-19 win over the Challenger Firebirds.
HCA improves to 12-7 on the campaign. Challenger is now 4-9.
Coach Gary Bowne couldn’t have asked for a better first half from the Knights.
“No, we really couldn’t. Looked at the kids, they played unselfishly. The energy they came out with,” Bowne said, citing the 50-50 balls his team corralled. “We played at the level we want to play with, get after it all the time. I was glad to see it.”
HCA played a perfect game at both ends of the court in the first half – especially in the first quarter – on Senior Night. The Knights captured the opening tip and Andy Cook drove the left side for two. That started an avalanche that quickly buried the Firebirds under a 21-0 deficit five and a half minutes later.
Five different Knights scored in the opening blitz, including a breakaway dunk by Cook and a three-ball from Will Miller.
Dylan Mauney finally got Challenger on the scoreboard at the 3:12 mark with a free throw.
The Knights hit the first four shots they took and were 12 of 18 from the field, six of six from the free throw line and committed just one turnover in the first eight minutes that concluded with HCA in front, 31-5.
Conversely, the Firebirds committed 12 turnovers including four of their first five possessions.
The Knights consistently opened up seams in the Firebirds’ defense with their quick ball-movement attack.
“That’s something we take a lot of pride in doing,” Bowne said. “We’ve got unselfish players and it makes it easy to coach them.”
HCA’s offense slowed in the second quarter, but only a little, as Bowne went to his bench and shuffled players in and out throughout the period. Although the second quarter was Challenger’s best of the night offensively, the gap continued to grow between the two teams on the scoreboard and by the half HCA had a 36-point cushion, 52-16.
Seven Knights scored in the first half as the HCA attack clicked whether going inside or firing from the perimeter.
“That’s the way we play,” Bowne said. “Inside-out or outside-in.”
Pace slowed considerably in the second half, due in part to a running clock that began with more than two minutes to go in the third period.
HCA, which is third in the NCISAA Southern Piedmont Conference, has already qualified for the postseason.
“We know we’re in the playoffs. We just have to get healthy,” Bowne said. “We’re beat up right now and sick. We’ve got a week to get ready.”
Cook led all scorers with 21 points. Miller dropped in 11 and Owen Duncan had 10.
Riley Wilson led Challenger with 12 points.
Challenger will host Mountain View Christian Academy on Monday. Hickory Christian Academy will travel to Statesville Christian on Tuesday.
Girls: Hickory Christian 50, Challenger 12
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