Hitting the road once again Thursday night, we went out to one of the more surprising teams in the state in Mooresville, as they welcomed in Hickory Ridge on the night. The atmosphere was off the charts and the gym was full, as we got ready for this showdown. Early on, both teams were able to find their offensive groove, trading baskets for the most part with Mooresville holding the narrow two-point lead. But Mooresville turned it up a notch, allowing their full-court press and defense to translate into offensive buckets, while they also knocked down shots from three as well. Their lead quickly expanded to double-digits by halftime, leading 49-35.
Second half, Mooresville wouldn't relinquish their double-digit lead, eventually pushing it to 20+ points in the third quarter. Though the duo of Miles Beard and Caden Haywood performed well, combining for 44 points, Mooresville was able to showcase their offensive scoring power and their unselfishness on the court, ultimately securing the 90-73 victory at home.
Final: Mooresville 90 – Hickory Ridge 73
Stats:
Mooresville: KC Shaw 28pts, 7rebs, 8asts/ Evaan Ezhilan 20pts, 4asts/ Dane Stewart 14pts, 6asts, 6stls/ Kyrell Shaw 14pts
Hickory Ridge: Caden Haywood 23pts/ Miles Beard 21pts
Standouts/ Notes:
- First off, we start with the job that Coach Moore has done with this program. The turnaround that we have seen from years ago to today, the Blue Devils look completely different and the fans are buying in. This is a team that plays together, unselfishly, and plays with a ton of energy on the court and what Coach Moore has instilled at Mooresville, isn't anything but impressive.
- The Shaw brothers were at it again. 2022 KC Shaw continues to be one of the underrated unsigned seniors in the state, continuing to produce at an extremely high level. His blend of athleticism, length, scoring ability, feel, and impact all over the court is impressive and his fills up the stat sheet. His brother, 2023 Kyrell Shaw really showed his threat from outside, being very confident in his 3-point shooting.
- 2023 Evaan Ezhilan had a great showing as well. Really liked his decision-making on the court, picking his spots to find his shot, hit from multiple levels, plays with a good IQ, and even gave us a little bit of his bounce. Really liked his feel for the game, his speed and pace, and his shot-selection.
- 2024 Caden Haywood (Hickory Ridge) was relentless on the court in this game. He just seemed to be all over the place, played with a good motor, and just had a sense of getting his hands on the ball. He was active all over the boards, scored well in the paint and through contact, and moved well without the ball to create opportunities. Many may not know the 3-sport star but he deserves recognition for what he provides.
- 2024 Miles Beard (Hickory Ridge) didn't have the best shooting night, as the defense was certainly aware of what he brings to the court. But he still finished with 21 points, got to the line, scored from multiple levels, and show his ability to create for himself. A strong season for the sophomore continues for him at HR.
