The Artesia (NM) varsity basketball team will face off against Hope Christian (Albuquerque, NM) in a neutral-site tournament game today at 7 p.m.

Game Details:

• Teams: Hope Christian vs. Artesia
• Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025
• Time: 7:00 p.m.
• Live stream: Watch Here
• Live stream: Watch Here
• Event: Hope Christian Tournament

High School Basketball: Hope Christian vs. Artesia – A Comparative Analysis

The 2024-2025 high school basketball season has been an exciting one, with two New Mexico powerhouses, Hope Christian and Artesia, making a strong push toward playoff contention. Both teams have displayed impressive records and resilient performances on the court. Let’s take a closer look at their statistics, rankings, and matchups to gauge how they stack up against each other.

Team Records & Performance Overview

Hope Christian (24-25 Season)

• Overall Record: 9-6
• Home: 5-1
• Away: 4-2
• Neutral: 0-3
• Win Percentage: .600
• Points For (PF): 967
• Points Against (PA): 1,020

Hope Christian has shown a solid performance this season, particularly at home, where they are 5-1. Their overall win percentage stands at a respectable .600, with a strong offensive game that has produced an average of 64.5 points per game. However, they have faced some challenges on neutral courts, as evidenced by their 0-3 neutral record.

Artesia (24-25 Season)

• Overall Record: 11-5
• Home: 6-1
• Away: 1-3
• Neutral: 4-1
• Win Percentage: .688
• Points For (PF): 988
• Points Against (PA): 791

Artesia, with an overall record of 11-5, has been one of the stronger teams in the state this season. Their win percentage is higher than Hope Christian’s at .688, and they have a balanced game with a slightly stronger defense, allowing only 791 points throughout the season. Their performance on neutral courts has been exceptional (4-1), and their home record stands at 6-1, demonstrating their dominance on their home turf.

Team Scoring Averages

Both teams have shown consistency in their scoring, though there are subtle differences in their offensive flow.

• Hope Christian Scoring Averages:
  • Q1: 14.1
  • Q2: 13.0
  • Q3: 16.4
  • Q4: 15.7
  • OT1: 12.0
  • Final: 64.5

Hope Christian’s scoring is well-rounded, with steady output throughout the first three quarters. The team’s performance in the fourth quarter is particularly strong, where they average 15.7 points per game.

• Artesia Scoring Averages:
  • Q1: 15.3
  • Q2: 14.4
  • Q3: 16.8
  • Q4: 16.4
  • Final: 61.8

Artesia’s scoring is more consistent across the board, with slight increases in each subsequent quarter. Their fourth-quarter performance is particularly notable, averaging 16.4 points, which shows their ability to finish strong in tight games.

Common Opponents

Both teams have faced some of the same opponents this season, which provides an interesting comparison:

• Hope Christian vs. Common Opponents: 1-1
  • 12/3/24: Hope Christian vs. Eldorado (W) 71-67
  • 12/28/24: Hope Christian vs. St. Pius X (L) 73-67
  • 1/28/25: Hope Christian vs. Valley (Upcoming)
• Artesia vs. Common Opponents: 2-1
  • 12/26/24: Artesia vs. Eldorado (W) 61-48
  • 1/17/25: Artesia vs. St. Pius X (W) 70-62
  • 12/21/24: Artesia vs. Valley (L) 50-46

In head-to-head matchups, both teams have had varying success against their common opponents. Hope Christian won against Eldorado but fell to St. Pius X, while Artesia secured victories against both Eldorado and St. Pius X, though they lost a close game to Valley.

Record Breakdown

The breakdown of each team’s performance in different categories offers further insight into their respective strengths.

• Hope Christian:
  • Overall: 9-6
  • Home: 5-1
  • Away: 4-2
  • Neutral: 0-3
• Artesia:
  • Overall: 11-5
  • Home: 6-1
  • Away: 1-3
  • Neutral: 4-1

Artesia has a clear advantage when it comes to neutral-site games, as they’ve won 4 of 5 neutral matchups. Hope Christian, on the other hand, has struggled in neutral settings but has been formidable at home.

Conclusion

The comparison between Hope Christian and Artesia highlights two well-rounded teams with different strengths. Hope Christian’s scoring ability and home-court advantage make them a formidable opponent, but they’ll need to improve in neutral settings to compete with top-tier teams. Artesia, with their solid overall record, strong defense, and ability to perform on neutral courts, appears to have a slight edge heading into the remainder of the season. The upcoming matchups, particularly the one between Hope Christian and Valley, will be crucial for both teams as they look to fine-tune their performances for the stretch run.