Preview: York Prep Patriots vs. Andrew Jackson Volunteers
York Prep is 0-9 against Andrew Jackson since December of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The York Prep Patriots will head out on the road to face off against the Andrew Jackson Volunteers at 6:30 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as York Prep comes in on three and Andrew Jackson on seven.
York Prep scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Tuesday. They took their game on the road with ease, bagging a 61-34 victory over Central. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win York Prep has posted since December 15, 2023.
York Prep's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Gracie Robinson led the charge by scoring 23 points along with six rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Robinson has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Payton Munsey, who scored nine points along with nine rebounds and seven blocks.
Meanwhile, Andrew Jackson can now show off nine landslide victories after their most recent matchup on Tuesday. They breezed by Cheraw on the road to the tune of 66-27. Given Andrew Jackson's advantage in MaxPreps' South Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 26th, while Cheraw is ranked 164th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Andrew Jackson's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Tamia Watkins, who dropped a double-double on 23 points and 14 rebounds. Watkins is absolutely dominating the point category: she's posted at least 15 every time she's taken the court this season. Ayona Alexander was another key contributor, scoring eight points along with 19 rebounds and five blocks.
The victory got York Prep back to even at 7-7. As for Andrew Jackson, they pushed their record up to 13-4 with that victory, which was their third straight on the road.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: York Prep have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 18.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Andrew Jackson struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 41.7 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
York Prep was dealt a bruising 66-21 defeat at the hands of Andrew Jackson in their previous meeting back in January of 2023. The game was all but decided by halftime, at which point York Prep was down 48-10.
