Basketball Game Preview: Memphis Rise Academy Rockets vs. Crosstown Explorers + How To Watch

Having just played yesterday, the Memphis Rise Academy Rockets will head out on the road to face off against the Crosstown Explorers at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Memphis Rise Academy has four straight wins, Crosstown has five straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the court.

Memphis Rise Academy is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They breezed past Pleasant View to the tune of 74-39 on Monday. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest victory of the season.

Ta'Varreo Smith

Field Goal Percentage

12/15/25 vs Pleasant View	60%
12/12/25 vs Trezevant	71%
12/10/25 @ University	83%
12/05/25 @ Compass - Midtown	73%

Memphis Rise Academy got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Ta'Varreo Smith out in front who went 9-for-15 on his way to 21 points. Smith is also on a roll when it comes to field goal percentage, as he's posted one of at least 60% in the last four games he's played. Ambren Tyson was another key player, almost dropping a double-double with 20 points and nine rebounds.

Meanwhile, it's never fun to lose, and it's even less fun to lose 70-32, which was the final score in Crosstown's tilt against Memphis East on Friday. While losing is never fun, the Explorers can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Tennessee basketball rankings (they are ranked 391st, while the Mustangs are ranked 176th).

Crosstown's defeat dropped their record down to 1-5. As for Memphis Rise Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 5-2.

Memphis Rise Academy barely slipped by Crosstown in their previous meeting back in January, winning 58-57. Do the Rockets have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Explorers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.