Basketball Game Preview: Northwest Classical Academy Spartans vs. Elite Scholars Academy Royal Knights

Two dominant guards in Drew Starstrom and Xavier Charles-Jones are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Northwest Classical Academy Spartans are taking a road trip to square off against the Elite Scholars Academy Royal Knights at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. Northwest Classical Academy has given up an average of 50.2 points per game this season, but Monday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Northwest Classical Academy is probably headed into the game with a chip on their shoulder considering Mill Springs Academy just ended the team's three-game winning streak last Wednesday. They took a 59-53 hit to the loss column at the hands of Mill Springs Academy.

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Luke Sabbarese, who dropped a double-double with 13 points and 11 boards. Sabbarese is crushing it when it comes to rebounds: he's pulled down at least eight every time he's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Benjamin Battista, who dropped a double-double with ten points and 14 boards.

While Elite Scholars Academy didn't have the best season last year (they finished 6-21), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They walked away with a 56-44 win over Stephens County on Tuesday.

Elite Scholars Academy's win came from a few key players Northwest Classical Academy will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jerel Clark, who went 6-for-10 to rack up 14 points and five rebounds. That's the most points he has posted since back in December of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Desmond Rose, who shot 75% from the field on his way to 14 points in addition to six boards and three blocks.

Elite Scholars Academy's victory bumped their record up to 4-1. As for Northwest Classical Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-2.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Northwest Classical Academy has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 45.4 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Elite Scholars Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 33.4 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.