The Hopewell Blue Devils came tearing into Wednesday's matchup with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 16.2 points) and they left with even more momentum. They skirted past Petersburg 51-49. Given Hopewell's advantage in MaxPreps' Virginia basketball rankings (they are ranked 103rd, while Petersburg is ranked 242nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Hopewell got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Nick Byrd, II out in front who scored 27 points along with two steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Byrd, II has scored all season. Jeremiah Whiting was another key contributor, scoring nine points along with three steals.
Hopewell's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-2. As for Petersburg, they are on a four-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 3-7.
Hopewell will look to defend their home court on Friday against Thomas Dale at 7:15 p.m. Thomas Dale has been dominant on offense recently, as they've racked up an incredible 350 points over their last five contests. As for Petersburg, they will head out on the road to challenge Colonial Heights at 7:15 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Colonial Heights' favor is that they have posted big point totals every time they've taken the court this season.
