Preview: John Paul II Centurions vs. Veritas Academy
The John Paul II Centurions will look to defend their home court on Friday against Veritas Academy at 4:30 p.m. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.
John Paul II suffered their biggest defeat since November 28, 2023 on Wednesday. They were outmatched by Hill Country Christian School of Austin at home and fell 71-37. While losing is never fun, John Paul II can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Texas basketball rankings (they are ranked 1214th, while Hill Country Christian School of Austin is ranked 314th).
Defeat or not, John Paul II got some senior leadership from Joseph Mata and Eliseo Garcia. Mata dropped a double-double on 12 points and 14 rebounds, while Garcia. scored 16 points along with three steals. Mata hasn't dropped below eight rebounds for 13 straight games.
Meanwhile, Veritas Academy's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Tuesday after their fifth straight loss. They ended up on the wrong side of a rough 76-51 walloping at the hands of Brentwood Christian.
John Paul II has not been sharp recently, as they've lost eight of their last nine contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 13-20 record this season. As for Veritas Academy, their loss was their third straight at home, which dropped their record down to 13-12.
John Paul II might still be hurting after the 72-51 defeat they got from Veritas Academy when the teams last played back in January of 2023. Will John Paul II have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
