Basketball Recap: Drake (DJ) Sandi Leads a Balanced Attack to Beat Stranahan

St. Thomas Aquinas won the last time they faced Stranahan and things went their way on Monday too. The Raiders walked away with a 73-62 win over the Mighty Dragons. Given the Raiders' advantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 16th, while the Mighty Dragons are ranked 103rd) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead St. Thomas Aquinas to victory, but perhaps none more so than Drake (DJ) Sandi, who went 8-for-13 to rack up 21 points and eight assists. What's more, Sandi also posted a 60% three-point shooting accuracy, which is the highest he's achieved since back in February. Another player making a difference was Clarence Westbrook Jr., who shot 56% from the field en route to 20 points and six boards.

Raiders

Previous 3 Games

12/15/25 vs Stranahan	73-62
12/13/25 vs Bell Creek Academy	78-37
12/06/25 vs Westminster Academy	79-58

St. Thomas Aquinas smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in eight consecutive games.

St. Thomas Aquinas' victory bumped their record up to 8-1. As for Stranahan, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-6 record this season.

St. Thomas Aquinas will take on Corner Canyon in a holiday battle at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday. The Raiders' defense better be ready for this one: the Chargers have averaged an impressive 65.6 points per game this season. Stranahan and Norland will compete for holiday cheer at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Mighty Dragons will need to watch out since the Vikings have now posted at least 55 points in their last six contests.