By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Surviving a rain of 13 three-pointers by Hickory Christian, the Pine Lake Prep Pride used strong inside play led by 6-4 junior Lucas Strickfaden team-high 23 points to defeat the Knights, 86-69, on Dec. 28 in Round 1 of the High Country Holiday Classic hosted by Watauga High School.
Strickfaden was joined in double figures on the afternoon by 6-5 junior small forward Robert Magner (13 points) and junior shooting guard Brennan Greene (12).
The Knights fell behind, 20-10, by the end of the first quarter and could never catch up, despite outscoring the Pride in the second and fourth periods. Pine Lake caught fire in the third quarter on a 26-11 run to put the game in spite of a combined, 17-point effort from Hickory Christian senior guard Zavien Dillingham and 6-5 junior guard Levi Robinson.
The Pride was not without long-range firepower of their own, with eight 3-pointers augmenting the inside play of Strickfaden and Magner, including three from Greene and two each from Magner and point guard Ethan Morgan.
