Hickory Ridge 68

Jay M. Robinson 56

Hickory Ridge travelled to Jay M. Robinson and came away with a 68-56 win. Jay M. Robinson kept the game close and trailed by six going into the halftime break, however Hickory Ridge had a huge third quarter and outscored Jay M. Robinson 24-5 and took a commanding 25-point lead heading into the third quarter. Hickory Ridge stretched the lead to 30, but give credit to Jay M. Robinson as they continued to battle back and make the game respectable down the stretch. Now, let's take a closer look at the standout players.

5'10 2022 Jordan Marsh (Hickory Ridge)

Jordan Marsh simply got the job done on both ends of the court. He finished with a game high 19 points and made one defensive hustle play after another. As a matter of factor, the quick and explosive Marsh showcased his elite level athleticism by blocking two consecutive transition opportunities for Jay M. Robinson, not to mention several key steals during the huge third quarter. While Marsh has a smaller frame and plays the off-guard position, he is an electric player in the open court. He has tremendous quickness and 'blow by' speed and although he went left every single time, Jay M. Robinson simply had no answer for him. Marsh is very effective off the dribble/bounce and will be a major force for Hickory Ridge this season. 

6'4 2023 Caleb Foster (Hickory Ridge)

While Caleb Foster started a little slow out of the gates, we were still impressed with his poise, maturity and overall feel for the game. Foster has excellent ball handling skills and has outstanding court vision. He always seemed to have his head up surveying the court to make the pitch ahead pass. After getting his teammates involved in the offense in the first half, Foster's shots started to fall and finished with 18 points (16 points coming in the second half) Foster is always under control and does a really good job of creating space and attacking gaps. 

6'7 2022 Shane Fernald (Hickory Ridge)

Shane Fernald is just your tough, hardnose and blue-collar type of player. Fernald may not be the flashiest player on the court, but he is simply one of the more productive and efficient players. Fernald finished with 12 points and probably had double digit rebounding. Fernald's workmanlike approach to the game allows him to do so many things well, whether it is setting the proper 'pick/screen' and rolling correctly to the basket or boxing out on the defensive end of the court. In addition, we were also impressed with his court vision and ability to make secondary reads and passes for assists. 

5'10 2020 Josh Abee (Jay M. Robinson)

Josh Abee is a tough, gritty and crafty point guard that does a really good job with the hesitation dribble. Abee finished with 13 points and was constantly getting into the paint. In addition, we were impressed with his 'never quit' attitude and showed tremendous heart throughout the game. 

6'4 2020 Justin Boateng

Justin Boateng is a long and athletic wing that has the ability to score from all three levels on the court. He's an active defender and moves well without the ball on the offensive end of the court. Boateng finished with a team high 15 points in the losing cause. 

Hickory Ridge's youth and upside 

When you look at Hickory Ridge's roster, they start two juniors, two sophomores and one freshman. That being said, this is definitely a team on the rise and could be a surprise team in the Southwestern 4A conference.